Chalong Police were investigating three robberies of two pharmacies in Chalong that took place on March 8, 13 and 18.
CCTV footage from Dharmasorn pharmacy in Chalong shows a man parking his motorbike outside the store at just before 9pm on Friday, March 8, before walking in and snatching what looks like cash from the counter. Lt Col Prawit Ang-chuan, Chief Investigator of the Phuket Provincial Police, did not disclose what exactly was stolen.
On Wednesday, March 13, the suspect walked into Camp Pharma pharmacy in Chalong with an axe and stole B15,000.
The employee explained that while she was behind the counter, a man dressed in dark clothing walked in with a helmet on.
“I thought he was a customer until he came to the counter and threatened to hurt me if I didn’t stay still. He had an axe tucked in his waistband which he pulled out,” she said.
“I didn’t move as I was scared. He took around B15,000 from the draw before fleeing.”
On Monday, March 18, CCTV footage shows the suspect parking his motorbike outside Dharmasorn pharmacy again. This time he walks in with what looks like a long knife and goes straight to the counter, opens the draw and makes off with around B30,000 in cash.
Lt Col Prawit Ang-chuan, Chief Investigator of the Phuket Provincial Police, was investigating the three robberies which led him to an address in Chalong after obtaining an arrest warrant at Phuket Provincial Court for 25-year-old Rattapol Pases.
When police raided the address on March 19, they caught Rattapol in the process of making liquid kratom extract. In the house, they also found clothes that matched those that were worn by the suspect in the three robberies as well as the motorbike parked outside.
“During the raid, we seized about 450ml of boiled liquid kratom, clothes, a helmet and a red Honda Wave motorbike,” Col Prawit confirmed.
“Ratthapol was taken to Chalong Police Station where he was charged with armed robbery and illegal possession of narcotics.