Bangkok: A notorious robber who single-handedly stole 1.5 million baht from a bank in the Talat Thai area has been arrested. The suspect, known as Mr. Saifa, 56, has a criminal history that includes a high-profile robbery of a cash transport vehicle carrying 16 million baht in 2012. According to Thai News Agency, police from Region 1 meticulously reviewed CCTV footage following the recent crime, leading them to uncover that Mr. Saifa switched vehicles during his escape. His identity was recognized due to his prior arrest for the 2012 robbery, which resulted in a prison sentence served until 2022. Authorities tracked him to a resort in the Ramintra area of Bangkok, subsequently taking him to Khlong Luang Police Station in Pathum Thani Province, where the crime occurred, for further questioning. CCTV footage from the TB Thanachart Bank, Talat Thai branch, captured the robbery taking place around 3 PM yesterday. The footage showed Mr. Saifa entering the bank, altering the "open" sign to "closed," and securing the door with a tool. He then brandished a gun in his left hand and gestured with his right finger at the bank employees before absconding with 1.5 million baht. His escape involved a black Toyota Vios sedan equipped with fake license plates. Police discovered the vehicle abandoned and set ablaze in a grassy area opposite the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), near the entrance to Soi Thaweewit, in what appeared to be an attempt to obliterate evidence. Mr. Saifa's criminal past is marked by an incident on September 17, 2012, where he was part of a trio that used firearms to rob a cash delivery truck driver collecting money from a Bangkok Bank branch inside the Tesco Lotus Bang Pa-in. The swift robbery, lasting only two minutes, resulted in the theft of approximately 15-16 million baht. Mr. Saifa was subsequently arrested on October 5, 2012, for his involvement in the heist.