Crime
Canadian Bank Robber David James Roach to Be Extradited to Singapore
Mr Roach had travelled to Thailand as a tourist hours after the bank heist on an AirAsia flight landing at Don Mueang airport.
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BANGKOK – Thai authorities say they will extradite Canadian David James Roach,26, suspected in robbing the Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore, Thailand’s National Police Chief Chakthip Chaijinda said at a news conference Wednesday morning.
Police Chief Chakthip Chaijinda told Thai media David James Roach, 26, declined to give any statements and requested a lawyer from the Canadian Embassy.
Suspect David James Roach
Singaporean authorities on Sunday had asked their Thai counterparts to find the suspect in the robbery of Standard Chartered Bank’s Holland Village Park branch in Singapore on July 7.
Roach robber strolled into the Standard Chartered branch around lunchtime and handed staff a note with his demands. He got away with S$30,000 (780,000 baht) in cash.
Police found said they recovered a notebook with his escape plans to Chiang Mai and then Dubai, as well as the phrases he wrote on the piece of paper to rob the bank — “This is a robbery, I have a weapon, give me money, don’t call police”.
Police arrested Roach on Sunday at the Box Packer Hostel on Phaya Thai Road and seized around 720,000 baht in his room. Some of the money was reportedly spent on buying a notebook computer.
Thai immigration police chief Nathatorn Prousoontorn said Mr Roach’s right to stay in the Kingdom of Thailand was has been revoked under the Immigration Act and he would be sent to Singapore and put on Thailand’s re-entry blacklist.
The Thai police have been coordinating with Singaporean and Canada’s RCMP on the case. Canadian officials are trying to get Mr Roach sent back to Canada according to The Straits Times in Singapore.
