BANGKOK — A man who stole 7.2 million baht in an armored truck heist last month was killed in a shootout Monday morning, police said.
Thakdanai Niewrangjai, 27, was shot dead while fleeing a police raid in Bangkok’s Thawi Wattana district, police commissioner Chakthip Chaijinda told reporters at the scene. Police maintained Thakdanai opened fire at the pursuers first, forcing them to return fire.
Thakdanai reportedly sustained two bullet wounds. A stash of 300,000 baht was also discovered hidden inside his motorcycle.
Police said Thakdanai is one of the two suspects who held up a Brinks armored truck Feb. 23 at gunpoint and took away about 7.2 million baht in cash. The robbery, which lasted about 20 seconds, was captured on CCTV. An investigation later established that the two men were former guards of the firm.
The other suspect, 19-year-old Jirayut Suanmee, was arrested four days after the heist.
According to Chakthip, investigators soon located Thakdanai in Thawi Wattana district. Police reportedly approached the suspect as he was meeting friends at a snooker bar, prompting him to flee on a motorbike. Thakdanai was shot dead after he fired his handgun at the police during the pursuit, Chakthip said.
