Suspects flee country after B37m robbery of Turk in Pattaya

Police seeking help of Chinese authorities and Interpol to locate armed gang

Police are seeking help from Chinese authorities and Interpol to arrest five suspects who fled Thailand within hours after robbing a Turkish businessman of cryptocurrency, cash and valuables worth 37 million baht at his luxury home in Pattaya.

The robbery took place at about 3.30am on Oct 6, when three men dressed in black and wearing face coverings, armed with guns and knives, broke into a luxury residence at a housing estate in tambon Nong Prue of Bang Lamung district in Chon Buri.

The armed men reportedly threatened and assaulted Turkish businessman Kutay Aslan, 34, and a Myanmar cleaner before restraining them with handcuffs.

The gang forced the businessman to give them $824,000 in Tether cryptocurrency (USDT), 210,000 baht in cash, five Rolex watches and four mobile phones, with a combined worth of more than 37 million baht, before fleeing the scene.

Following the incident, investigators reviewed CCTV footage along the escape route and identified a Toyota Fortuner believed to be linked to the crime. The vehicle was subsequently found abandoned on Jomtien Soi 9 in Pattaya.

The officers examined the vehicle and collected 14 pieces of evidence, including balaclavas, gloves, clothing, footwear and an aluminium ladder, for forensic analysis. (Story continues below)

Images compiled from CCTV by police show the house of the robbery victim (1), the abandoned getaway car (2) and various other views of the suspects.

The investigators also pursued leads from witness statements, vehicle GPS data, car and accommodation rental records, hotel check-in information and suspects’ immigration records. They compared clothing details with the recovered evidence before identifying five suspects allegedly linked to the robbery.

The suspects were identified as Dong Ping, 38, who reportedly arranged car and accommodation rentals; Lixinle, 31; Wang Hongbo, 32; Mu Hongda, 33; and Zhiyu Wang, 31.

On Friday, investigators submitted evidence to the Pattaya Provincial Court, which approved arrest warrants for all five suspects.

The charges include armed robbery at night, property damage, using a vehicle in the commission of a crime, and causing physical or psychological harm to others.

The suspects also faced charges of detaining or confining others and depriving them of their liberty, and firearms-related offences.

However, subsequent checks of travel records showed that all five suspects had left Thailand within about six hours of the robbery.

Police are coordinating with the Chinese embassy and following procedures to seek Interpol Red Notices to locate the suspects and bring them to justice.

Police display evidence, including balaclavas, gloves, clothing, footwear and other items used by five suspects involved in the robbery of a Turkish businessman in Pattaya, in front of the Nong Prue police station on Saturday. (Photo: Provincial Police Region 2)