The arrest followed information received by Phuket Tourist Police officers from Athiphat Tikanit, Fraud and Corruption Control Officer at the Bangkok headquarters of Siam Commercial Bank (SCB), who reported that someone was using stolen credit card details to withdraw cash and buy items in Phuket.
By careful monitoring of ATMs island-wide, police detected one of the stolen cards being used at an ATM in front of Phuvaree Resort at Patong. Officers found Yagir Rodi, 31, and Jean Raphael Philippe withdrawing B5,000 from the machine.
As they moved in, the two men fled. Officers were able to apprehend Rodi but Philippe escaped.
Police seized the B5,000 from Rodi then searched the room he shared with Philippe at the Kris Residence in Patong and found B125,000 in cash, 2 USB flash drives, 12 blank credit cards, a laptop and a skimmer machine.
Rodi denied that any of this was his. He told police that his job was simply to withdraw cash, and that all the equipment belonged to Philippe. He admitted that he knew the cards he was using to withdraw cash were fake, and that he had used them many times.
Rodi said he had known Philippe for more than a year in France, and had travelled to Phuket on September 28 to be the withdrawer for Philippe. Each time he withdrew money he received a percentage of it from Philippe. On his best day he had withdrawn B160,000 from victims’ accounts.
Phuket Tourist Police believe that there are more than two people in the gang. They continue to question Rodi and to search for Philippe, whose passport they seized from the room.