Ex-Bangkok Bank worker arrested over Web-based robbery

News

A former Bangkok Bank employee was arrested on Monday for alleged involvement in a robbery using the Internet.

Watcharawong Nawadee, 42, was charged with forging documents and stealing money via the bank’s Web-based banking service. He denied all charges.

Crime Suppression Division deputy commander Colonel Pisit Pisutthisak and other officers yesterday escorted Watcharawong to four houses he has in Bangkok and seized several bank pass books.

Watcharawong is currently fighting similar charges of stealing money via the Internet from Siam Commercial Bank.

Watcharawong was implicated by Winai Phuboonerb, a 34-year-old taxi driver, who was arrested February 28 for stealing money from a bank customer’s account through the Internet banking service.

Last September, Winai and others allegedly claimed that Winai was Bangkok Bank customer Phanlert Wasusirikul in an Internet banking application. On September 27, 2004, the group reportedly transferred Bt269,830 from Phanlert’s account to Winai’s and the funds were withdrawn a day later at an ATM.

The bank’s initial probe found that the real Phanlert knew nothing of the money transfer.

Winai denied involvement in the theft. He said he had agreed to borrow Bt3,000 from two taxi passengers last September and that he opened a bank account as a channel to receive and repay the money.

Police believed Winai, on the grounds that the theft required some technical knowledge.

Police showed Winai pictures of a group of people – including one of Watcharawong – who was out on bail pending earlier charges of stealing almost Bt10 million through Siam Commercial Bank’s Internet banking service in 2002.

Winai identified Watcharawong as one of the two passengers that had lent him the money. Based on his identification police arrested Watcharawong.

Published on March 09, 2005