Deep within the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, a daring and audacious crime unfolded in the early dawn hours. A Krung Thai Bank automatic teller machine (ATM) was burglarized outside its location in front of Prachanukroh School, known for its peacefulness and academic pursuits. Its quiet nature rudely interrupted by the surgical precision and audacity of such a crime. Estimated losses were around 400,000 baht, a significant sum, leaving the close-knit community in shock.
Janjira Saelim, the formidable deputy manager of Krung Thai Bank, registered a complaint at the local law enforcement institution, Tha Sala Police Station. The crime, according to Janjira, happened before the sun’s first light, a time when inhabitants are usually safely ensconced in their homes sleeping. No sooner had the ATM been stocked with approximately 6.24 million baht than the criminals descended.
The constabulary’s finest, with their meticulousness and commitment to justice, swarmed over the breached ATM looking for evidence. Sequestering valuable fingerprints left unsuspectingly by the criminals, the police began painting a picture of a crime executed with finesse and expertise. The ATM’s back was exposed, revealing a peculiar entry method; rather than prying open the front as is conventionally the norm, the criminals had axed the money storage section from behind.
In executing their act, the thieves used a traditional gas-cutting torch to slice into the back of the money dispenser like hot knife through butter. Then, they burned out the machine’s innards, sundering away the protective measures to access the cash hoard. Janjira, providing further context, shared that an estimated 4.59 million baht remained untouched in the machine and that customers had drawn approximately 1.25 million. This left the balance of the stolen amount, a massive 397,000 baht loss. In addition, ravages to the ATM’s structure meted a repair and reboot cost pegged at 250,000 baht.
Adding to the comedy of errors was the location of the crime scene. The ATM was a mere stone’s throw from a police booth – an inconspicuous 100 meters, to be exact. However, the thieves being well briefed and prepared, made their move when no officers were about, taking advantage of this nocturnal security lapse.
Upon investigation and gleaning through security tapes, the law enforcement officers managed to pinpoint two to four mystery men peregrinating in what seemed a suspicious convoy fashion. They used a pickup truck as their vehicle of choice, though regrettably, a solid identification of its make or colour eluded the shamefaced constabulary. Neither was the license plate identifiable, providing little to advance the investigation.
Deja-vu hit hard as this crime bore an uncanny similarity to a previous hit, this time in Ang Thong’s central province. Two young men carrying out a near-identical modus operandi, faces cleverly obscured by motorcycle helmets, attempted to pilfer money from another ATM owned by Siam Commercial Bank (SCB). After more than half an hour of cutting and prying, their plan was foiled, and their ambitions unsuccessful, providing a stark contrast to the more recent Heist in Nakhon Si Thammarat.
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