Police are currently searching for four Chinese nationals who broke into a luxury home in Pathum Thani, Thailand, and forced a Chinese resident to transfer $2 million (approximately 70 million baht) in digital currency to them.
The incident took place around 2 a.m. on Wednesday at a house in Ban Mai, Muang district. The house was occupied by six people—three men and three women—at the time of the break-in, according to police reports.
One of the victims, 35-year-old Chinese businessman Ke Jibao, stated that he and his wife were asleep in their bedroom when the four suspects, all wearing balaclavas and armed with guns and knives, entered the house. The suspects tied up Mr. Ke, his wife, and a maid by their hands and feet.
The intruders then ordered Mr. Ke to contact a relative in China to transfer $2 million in digital currency to their account. After the transfer was confirmed, they stole the house’s security camera servers to eliminate evidence of the crime and fled the scene in Mr. Ke’s black Toyota Alphard.
Mr. Ke sustained a minor knife wound on his right wrist, while a male servant, 26-year-old Chen Mingfa, was injured after being struck on the forehead with a gun.
The stolen vehicle was later discovered abandoned near a power plant on Liap Khlong Prapa Road at around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday. It has been taken to the Police Forensic Science Centre 1 for examination.
Mr. Ke told investigators that he was unaware of the motive behind the robbery or how the criminals knew about his relative in China.
Police believe the robbery was carefully planned, as the suspects managed to enter the housing estate on foot, avoiding the need to show identification to security guards.
Pol Col Narong Iamrahong, commander of the Pak Khlong Rangsit station, reported that investigators are reviewing footage from other security cameras in the area to track the suspects. Additional questioning of the victims and neighbors is also planned.
credit bangkpost
