Police have arrested a man on charges of robbing a Thanachart Bank branch in Pathum Thani’s Thanyaburi district on Thursday and making off with more than 330,000 baht in cash.
Photos by Pongpat Wongyala
The suspect, identified as Thanawut Sumphan, 27, was arrested near his home in Muang distirct of Pathum Thani on Sunday.
Police said he fled to Chanthaburi province after the heist and returned to his hometown on Saturday to attend his grandmother’s funeral when he was caught.
Mr Thanawut confessed that he asked a motorcycle taxi driver to take him to the bank but en route he hit him in the head with a pistol, and stole his Honda Scoopy-i. After the robbery, he discarded the getaway motorcycle behind Wat Perm Tarn in tambon Khlong 4 of Khlong Luang district and burned the clothes worn during the heist.
He said he committed the crime because he was stressed due to being left by his wife recently and had no job and money.
The suspect spent the stolen money on a used Nissan Cefiro car and a two-baht-weight gold necklace. Earlier reports said he made off with 200,000 baht. Police said he drove to Chanthaburi province to hide and try to reconcile with his wife but came back to Pathum Thani again after he learned his grandmother had died.
Police charge him with armed robbery and carrying a weapon and ammunition in public without good reason.
