Police identified a Russian national as the suspect in the money exchange robbery in Phuket after initially believing the suspect may have been a Thai national posing as a foreigner.
The theft took place at a currency exchange shop inside a shopping mall in Wichit, Phuket, on July 19. The incident occurred shortly before the mall closed, with employees discovering the missing cash when they reopened the following morning.
Security camera footage captured the suspect wearing a black jacket, black shorts, a dark blue cap and glasses. He also had a brown moustache and appeared to be a foreigner.
Investigators initially suspected the offender might have been a Thai national familiar with the premises because the safe was opened using the correct password and approximately 600,000 baht was taken without signs of forced entry.
On July 28, officers from Wichit Police Station announced that the suspect had been identified as 47 year old Russian national, Vitalii Kobin.
Police said an arrest warrant had been issued for Kobin on a charge of nighttime theft under Section 335 of the Criminal Code. The offence carries a prison sentence of one to five years and a fine of 2,000 to 10,000 baht.
According to police, Kobin has overstayed his visa for several years. Investigators believe he remains in Thailand following the alleged theft and are continuing efforts to locate him.
Russian visitors have become one of Phuket’s largest groups of international tourists in recent years. Separately, several Russian nationals have also appeared in unrelated criminal investigations in Thailand.
Earlier this month, two Russian nationals were arrested during a police operation targeting mule accounts in Phuket after making multiple cash withdrawals linked to call centre scam networks.
In May, another Russian national was arrested on a coach travelling from Phuket to Pattaya after police found several types of illegal drugs in his possession.
Also in May, five Russian people were arrested following an altercation at a Phuket night market. Police alleged that the dispute escalated into violence before one of the men attacked Thai bystanders.
The story Phuket money exchange robber identified as Russian, not Thai as seen on Thaiger News.
