SINGAPORE STILL TRYING TO GET BANK ROBBER AND HIS LOOT TO RETURN FROM THAILAND

Dear A.S.S. Editor

Singapore authorities have moved to assure Singaporeans that they are still in touch with the Thai authorities with regards to the request to return the Canadian man who robbed a Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore last year.

The man, David Roach, was sentenced to 14 months in a Thai jail for violating money laundering and Customs laws by bringing the loot into the country. He was the first man in more than a decade to have successfully robbed a bank here, walking out with $30,000 with little more than a threatening note. He then subsequently fled to Thailand before he could be arrested here, but have spent the rest of his time in a jail in Bangkok. Media reports in Thailand quoted Roach’s lawyer as saying that the Canadian admitted only to smuggling currency to Thailand, but not to the Singapore robbery.

Singapore authorities had previously written to the Thai government seeking assistance to repatriate the Canadian. Thailand, however, rejected the request as it does not have any extradition treaty with Singapore. But Singapore has extradition arrangements with Canada. In the event that Thailand decided to send the man back to Canada after his jail term, he can be repatriated back to Singapore to face the criminal charges here.

Based on the reports, the loot is also still in Thailand’s hands. Singapore authorities are still in touch with the Thais to try and bring back the man and the loot from Thailand.

Gerald Ho

A.S.S. Contributor