Police are hunting for four Chinese nationals who broke into a luxury house in Pathum Thani and forced their Chinese victim to transfer $2 million (70 million baht) in digital money to them.

The robbery happened at a house in tambon Ban Mai at about 2am on Wednesday morning. There were six people in the house — three men and three women, police said.

A victim, identified as Ke Jibao, a 35-year-old Chinese businessman, said he and his wife were asleep in their bedroom when four suspects wearing balaclavas broke into their house. Each of them was armed with a gun and a knife. Mr Ke, his wife and a maid were tied up by their hands and feet. 

The intruders ordered Mr Ke to call a relative in China to transfer $2 million in digital money into their account. After confirming the transfer, they stole the house security camera servers that had recorded the incident and escaped with the victim’s car.

Mr Ke had a small knife wound on his right wrist, and a male servant had a facial wound after being struck on the forehead by a gun.

The stolen car was found later.

Mr Ke told police he did not know the motive for the armed robbery, nor how the gang knew his relative.

Police said the robbery was well-planned.