(Thailand, 23rd) Thai police in the early hours of Monday (September 22) arrested a retired Dutch man suspected of attempting to drag away an automated teller machine (ATM) with a pickup truck in order to steal the cash inside; the theft was unsuccessful.
According to the Nation newspaper, the suspect is 60-year-old Sijtse Koovlar, who was apprehended at 2:05 a.m. on a road in Khon Kaen Province.
Police received a report that someone was attempting to forcibly drag away an ATM at the Siam Commercial Bank Ban Thum branch, and immediately rushed to the scene.
Upon arrival, police found the suspect driving an unlicensed pickup truck against traffic, with the main part of an ATM being dragged behind the vehicle.
Investigators pointed out that Koovlar first used a handcart and the pickup truck to pry the ATM out of the bank’s fixed framework, then tried to drag it back home.
Police stated that Koovlar is a Dutch national settled in Khon Kaen Province. He admitted to attempting to steal the cash from the ATM, citing “financial difficulties” as the reason.
He confessed that he had sent 10 million baht (about 1.31 million ringgit) to his Thai wife for investments, but his wife claimed the funds were insufficient, leading to quarrels between them, and he eventually acted on impulse and conceived the theft.
Police added that after testing, no traces of drugs were found on the suspect.
According to the Nation newspaper, the suspect is 60-year-old Sijtse Koovlar, who was apprehended at 2:05 a.m. on a road in Khon Kaen Province.
Police received a report that someone was attempting to forcibly drag away an ATM at the Siam Commercial Bank Ban Thum branch, and immediately rushed to the scene.
Upon arrival, police found the suspect driving an unlicensed pickup truck against traffic, with the main part of an ATM being dragged behind the vehicle.
Investigators pointed out that Koovlar first used a handcart and the pickup truck to pry the ATM out of the bank’s fixed framework, then tried to drag it back home.
Police stated that Koovlar is a Dutch national settled in Khon Kaen Province. He admitted to attempting to steal the cash from the ATM, citing “financial difficulties” as the reason.
He confessed that he had sent 10 million baht (about 1.31 million ringgit) to his Thai wife for investments, but his wife claimed the funds were insufficient, leading to quarrels between them, and he eventually acted on impulse and conceived the theft.
Police added that after testing, no traces of drugs were found on the suspect.