StanChart bank robbery suspect: Don't send me to Singapore
About 100 Thai law enforcement personnel analysed footage from as many as 400 CCTVs to find the suspect of the Standard Chartered bank robbery, said the head of Thailand's Interpol unit.
Major-General Apichart Suriboonya received an investigation report from Singapore at about 6.15am last Friday while he was eating his breakfast, reported Shin Min Daily News.
"The information was that there was a robber that stole $30,000 from Singapore, and they wanted to check if he indeed did enter Thailand," Maj-Gen Apichart told the daily.
His team immediately began investigations and discovered that the suspect, Canadian national David James Roach, had arrived in Bangkok the day before, at 5.08pm.
In order to quickly track down the suspect, he activated the 100 personnel from various divisions.
Together, they analysed the footage and by Saturday night, they found out that Roach was staying in a central Bangkok hostel.
At about 11.30am on Sunday, they arrested Roach at the Boxpackers Hostel in the Ratchathewi district.
Maj-Gen Apichart also revealed more details of the notebook that was found with Roach.
It was reported to contain the same phrases on the note that was given to the bank teller during the robbery.
Written on one of its pages were the names of three cities: Singapore, Chiang Mai and Dubai. Next to that was the phrase "Make Money".
Written on another page was "three things to take note of after the robbery".
Roach also wrote himself reminders to wear normal clothes, to take a taxi and to maintain a normal demeanour.
Maj-Gen Apichart added that part of the stolen $30,000 was also spent on a MacBook, an Apple laptop.
Thailand's immigration police chief Nathathorn Prousoontorn said that Roach's right to stay in Thailand was revoked under the immigration act and he has been put on Thailand's re-entry blacklist.
Roach initially claimed that he had lost significant weight due to sickness in recent months, the daily reported on Wednesday. He also refused to eat and drink while in detention.
A doctor has since assessed him to be healthy and he was seen eating regular meals, Shin Min said yesterday.
DETAINED
Roach is being detained in a room that holds between eight and 10 people and he gets to move about freely within the detention centre, Shin Min quoted sources as saying.
He is allowed to watch TV, exercise and use the phone in the detention centre.
An unnamed law enforcement personnel said that he asked guards of the detention centre not to send him to Singapore, reported Shin Min.
He was heard saying: "Officer, please send me back to Canada, don't send me back to Singapore."
The Canadian embassy has provided Roach with a list of lawyers, but is unsure if he has consulted one, reported the daily.
Singapore is in talks with Thai and Canadian authorities to extradite Roach to Singapore, which does not have an extradition treaty with either country, while Thailand has an extradition treaty with Canada.
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