When the alleged robber of Standard Chartered bank in Singapore was picked up by 20 policemen at a backpackers hostel in Bangkok on Sunday (July 10), he was found with his loot of cash, some notes and a notebook.
26-year-old Canadian, David James Roach, did not have the full $30,000 of ill-gotten gains that he had allegedly stolen from the bank at Holland Village, but he had some 700,000 baht (S$26,813) worth of cash in assorted currencies, reported The Straits Times.
His notebook has details of his escape plan to Chiang Mai and then Dubai, Thai police revealed on Wednesday (July 13).
Read also: Singaporean woman witnessed dramatic arrest in Bangkok
A slip of paper, which was seized, was reportedly the note that he had used to rob the bank last Thursday (July 7). The hand-written note stated: “This is a robbery, I have a weapon, give me money, don’t call police.”
He had walked into Standard Chartered branch at around 11.30am, passed the note to the teller with his demands, before fleeing with about $30,000 in cash.
Hours later, he arrived in Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport at about 5pm Thailand time (6pm Singapore time) on the same day. He then took at taxi to Central World where he got off to make his way to the hostel on foot.
The Straits Times, Twitter, Shin Min Daily News
Thai Police Colonel Nithithorn Chintakanon revealed on Wednesday that they took two days to trace the suspect by contacting the taxi driver and examining closed-circuit television footage.
Roach is currently being detained in Bangkok’s Suan Plu Immigration Detention Centre.
Thai police chief Jaktip Chaijinda told Channel NewsAsia that the suspect is refusing to cooperate.
Thailand’s Attorney General’s Office is reportedly processing an extradition request submitted by Singapore.
However, it is understood that Canadian officials are also trying to get Roach sent back to Canada, reported The Straits Times.
maryanns@sph.com.sg
