CCTV footage of the incident, along with still images of the suspect, was widely shared in Phuket LINE groups last night and this morning (July 21) after the burglary was reported.
The footage shows a man wearing a dark blue baseball cap, a black long-sleeved jacket with white stripes, black shorts, black-rimmed glasses, rubber gloves and a fake-looking beard and moustache entering the currency exchange booth.
According to police, the suspect walked directly to the safe, entered the access code within seconds, opened it and removed foreign currency before leaving. The burglary was completed in a very short time.
Wichit Police Chief Pol Col Somsak Thongkliang confirmed the incident, saying it occurred on Sunday night (July 19) after the shopping mall had closed.
The 67-year-old owner of the foreign exchange business filed a complaint with Wichit Police the next day.
Police are reviewing CCTV footage from inside and outside the shopping mall as they work to identify and locate the suspect.
Investigators believe the offender may not actually be a foreign national and may have deliberately disguised himself to appear foreign in an attempt to mislead police.
Pol Col Somsak said the Deputy Superintendent of Investigations had been assigned to lead the inquiry and examine all aspects of the case.
Police will also question business associates of the currency exchange shop, as only a limited number of people were believed to know the safe’s access code.
Investigators are continuing their search for the suspect and expect an arrest to be made soon.