A 34-year-old Malaysian man was arrested in Thailand after he robbed a 28-year-old Chinese influencer and University student at knifepoint, to fund his holiday in the country.
According to a report by Thaiger, the Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station shared that the Malaysian suspect was arrested on Tuesday, May 27, after committing the robbery on Sunday, May 25.
He worked as an eyewear vendor in Malaysia and operates a cryptocurrency exchange
The suspect, who had known the victim from a previous cryptocurrency exchange transaction, had arranged to meet the victim in the garage of a luxury condominium while using attractive exchange rates to attract him.
When the victim arrived with 135,000 baht (RM17,478.91) in cash for the cryptocurrency exchange, the suspect pulled a knife on the victim, took the money, and fled on a motorcycle.
Authorities used CCTV footage to track his whereabouts and quickly found where he was staying. At the condominium unit, officers arrested him and recovered 101,160 baht (RM13,097.53) in stolen money.
When faced with the police, he admitted to robbing the victim to further fund his travels in Thailand, after having been invited to Chiang Mai by a Vietnamese friend and getting into a relationship with a Burmese woman while there.
The suspect is also said to be a professional gambler and has allegedly used gambling winnings to finance his time in Chiang Mai.
Considering his tourist visa has expired, he is now facing 2 criminal charges, for robbery and for overstaying his visa.
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Also read: 71yo Penang Woman Uses Water Bottle to Bravely Fight Off Snatch Thief Posing as Police Officer
