BANGKOK – A bizarre late-night crime in Thailand has left residents and police officers completely shocked. A 27-year-old man intentionally set a bank ATM on fire in Chachoengsao province. His stated motive was incredibly unusual, as he wanted to go to jail to spite his pregnant girlfriend.
The shocking incident unfolded around midnight on a quiet Thursday. Police rushed to the fiery scene in front of a local auto parts factory on Suwinthawong Road. According to police, they quickly detained the troubled suspect right at the scene.
Key Takeaways
- A 27-year-old man set an ATM on fire in Chachoengsao, Thailand, following a bitter argument.
- The suspect claimed his pregnant girlfriend challenged him to go to jail, sparking the crime.
- He originally considered robbing a local gold shop but realized the stores were already closed.
The young suspect, identified only as Natthawat, told the police a very strange story. He had hired a ride-hailing car from Bangkok to visit a monk at a nearby temple. After the spiritual visit, he sat outside the Wisdom Auto Parts factory to rest and relax.
While resting outside the factory, he decided to call his pregnant girlfriend on the phone. Sadly, the couple got into a fierce and very emotional argument during the late-night call. The suspect claimed his girlfriend was actively taunting him during their heated verbal dispute.
During the fight, she allegedly told him that she wanted to see him locked up. This angry challenge pushed the young man completely over the edge. He decided to commit a serious crime just to prove a point to his partner.
From Gold Shop to ATM Fire
Determined to go to jail, Natthawat frantically looked for a way to break the law. He admitted to police that his very first thought was to rob a local gold shop. However, he quickly realized that all the jewelry stores were firmly closed for the night.
Needing a new plan, he turned his attention to the nearby bank ATM kiosk. The angry boyfriend gathered handfuls of trash from a nearby rubbish bin. He stuffed the garbage inside the ATM booth and used his own lighter to start a fire.
The fire spread rapidly, creating a massive blaze that threatened the surrounding commercial area. The flames quickly consumed the automated teller machine, causing thousands of dollars in property damage. It was a highly dangerous situation that required an immediate emergency response.
Quick Response by Local Authorities
A factory security guard spotted the bright flames and rushed over with a fire extinguisher. Sadly, the intense fire was far too powerful for a small extinguisher to successfully handle. Local firefighters from the Wang Takhian sub-district had to rush a fire truck to the scene.
Emergency crews sprayed water on the burning kiosk until they fully put out the blaze. Police officers, led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Wanchai Prathom, arrived promptly to investigate the damage. They found the suspect lingering near the scene, reportedly acting in a somewhat dazed manner.
When the officers searched his pockets, they did not find any illegal drugs on him. They only discovered the lighter and a small glass tube often used for consuming drugs. The police immediately placed him in handcuffs to secure the crime scene.
Officers safely transported Natthawat back to the local police station so he could calm down. The police plan to test his urine for illegal substances as part of their standard procedure. They are currently gathering more evidence to build a strong criminal case against him.
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