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Russian overstayer steals $19,000 from Phuket currency exchange
About $19,000 was stolen from a currency exchange in a Phuket shopping mall. Police have issued an arrest warrant for a Russian national who has been living illegally in Thailand since 2025.
A Russian citizen is being sought as the suspect in the theft of $19,000 from a currency exchange on the tourist island of Phuket in Thailand. Police announced that the suspect has been living illegally in Thailand since 2025.
According to the Phuket Governor's Public Relations Information Center, the incident occurred on July 19 at the currency exchange inside Central Department Store. The theft took place around 9 p.m., when the exchange was closed but the shopping mall was still open.
Security camera captured everything
The currency exchange's security camera recorded a bearded and mustachioed man wearing large glasses, a blue baseball cap, a black Adidas tracksuit jacket, black shorts and Nike sneakers climbing over the counter to get inside and opening the safe under the desk. The suspect took all the money in the safe and calmly left the scene. The entire sequence took about a minute.
The stolen money included Thai baht, US dollars, Russian rubles, Swiss francs and euros.
Suspect identified as Russian citizen
The investigation launched after the incident has been continuing for about 10 days. At the request of Vichit Police Station, an arrest warrant was issued for the Russian suspect on Tuesday, July 28.
An examination by immigration police revealed that the suspect has been staying illegally in Thailand since his residence permit expired in 2025. Officials believe he will not be able to leave the country after the robbery because he would be caught at passport control.
Initially thought to be Thai
In the early days, according to a July 22 report by Thailand's 7th National Television Channel, investigators were almost certain the suspect was "a Thai national disguised as an Asian tourist." The channel reported that the suspect's ability to open the safe immediately and without difficulty suggested he may have known the combination, and that there could be an accomplice among the exchange staff.
However, according to the latest statement from the Phuket Governor's Information Center, police later obtained evidence pointing to a Russian citizen and issued an arrest warrant for him. The center also shared the suspect's bearded and mustachioed photos, believed to be a disguise, along with a clean-shaven photo of the Russian citizen for whom the arrest warrant was issued.
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