Jackpot Eludes Thief Caught Red-Handed in Pattaya Mall Robbery
A thief who snatched a bag containing 9,000 baht in cash and a mobile phone from a Burmese woman was apprehended by Sattahip police while charging his phone and playing online slots in a Pattaya shopping mall. The incident, which occurred on the evening of May 27, 2025, was captured clearly on CCTV, showing the suspect, later identified as 37-year-old Aphichat Wongphuri, dragging the victim across the floor in a ruthless bid to steal her belongings.
Sattahip Police Station’s investigation team, led by Pol. Lt. Col. Kriangkrai Meesaeng, Deputy Superintendent, and Pol. Lt. Col. Aphichat Namchanto, Investigation Inspector, sprang into action after receiving the report. Working tirelessly through the night, they tracked the suspect’s movements and learned he was attempting to flee the area via a van at a Pattaya Central bus queue. However, with his phone battery dead, Aphichat entered a nearby mall to charge it, unknowingly walking into a trap.
At 4:36 p.m. on May 29, 2025, police scoured the mall and found Aphichat tucked away in a corner near a restroom entrance, engrossed in online gambling on his freshly charged phone. Caught off guard, he was arrested on the spot. During questioning, Aphichat confessed to the crime, admitting he used the stolen money to fund his online gambling addiction, buy drugs, and give some to his mother. He claimed desperation drove him to target a woman, believing she wouldn’t resist or pursue him.
Police later traced the victim’s stolen phone to a shop where Aphichat sold it for a mere 150 baht. He was taken to Sattahip Police Station for further questioning and charged according to legal procedures. Reports also noted that Aphichat had planned to flee but was delayed by his phone’s dead battery, which halted his slot-playing spree.
Ironically, while being arrested, he was so absorbed in chasing an elusive jackpot that he failed to notice the officers closing in. “The jackpot wouldn’t hit,” he reportedly grumbled, “because the police got me first.”
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