Police investigate B600,000 theft from Phuket currency exchange safe

Police are investigating after foreign currency worth about B600,000 was stolen from a safe at a currency exchange booth in Phuket after a shopping mall closed on July 19.

Wichit Police Chief Pol Col Somsak Thongkliang said the suspect entered the booth, went directly to the safe, entered its access code within seconds and removed the currency before leaving.

CCTV footage showed a man wearing a dark blue baseball cap, a black long-sleeved jacket with white stripes, black shorts, black-rimmed glasses, rubber gloves and what appeared to be a false beard and moustache.

The 67-year-old business owner reported the burglary to Wichit Police on July 20. Police are reviewing footage from inside and outside the shopping mall to identify and locate the suspect.

Pol Col Somsak said investigators believe the offender may have disguised himself to appear foreign and mislead police. The deputy superintendent of investigations has been assigned to lead the inquiry.

Police also plan to question business associates because only a limited number of people were believed to know the safe’s access code. Investigators are continuing to search for the suspect and expect an arrest soon.