A man armed with a revolver held up a Bangkok Bank branch at the Lotus department store in Rawai area of Muang district on Monday and fled with 160,000 baht.
The robber struck about 12.55pm, Pol Lt Col Techin Deethong-on, a duty officer at Chalong, said.
Witnesses told police that a Thai man wearing a black cap, grey T-shirt and shorts threatened bank tellers with a revolver, demanding they hand over their cash.
He took 137,000 baht from the teller at counter No.3 and 23,000 from counter No.2 – 160,000 baht in total. The robber escaped on a red Honda Wave motorcycle along Wiset road before turning left into Soi Suksan 1.
The licence plate was covered with a plastic bag.
Pol Maj Gen Sermpan Sirikong, the Phuket police chief, later arrived at the bank to examine the scene. He ordered forensic investigators to scour the scene for fingerprints and other evidence that might help identify the robber.
The investigation was continuing, with police examining the usual surveillance camera recordings.
