CityNews – A man who dropped over 50,000 baht on the road while driving his motorcycle, only to have drivers and locals steal it all away has now been arrested by police on drug related charges after he was identified when filing a police report about the incident.
25-year-old Puttipong Bunta accidently dropped 53,900 baht mostly in 1000 baht notes near Lanna hospital on the superhighway after it fell from his pocket he forgot to zip up. The momey was for a down-payment for a new motorbike.
When he arrived at the motorbike shop he found the money was gone, and quickly traced his steps back to the scene.
He immediately reported the incident to the police.
The story made headlines yesterday as many photos from passers by and CCTV footage showed drivers and locals stopping their vehicles and picking up the cash.
Netizens expressed sympathy for the man and helped encourage people to hand the money back in.
Police also said they would try and track down those who stole the money via their licence plates unless they handed the cash back into the Chang Puak Police Station.
However, after some of the money was returned to the police station, the police began a sting operation to arrest Puttipong after his name and image alerted the police to unrelated drug charges on the man.
Puttipong was arrested on drug dealing charges dating back to 2015. Only 9,900 baht was returned.
Police are still looking for those who stole the money from the road and have not said what they will do with the returned cash, which Puttipong admitted to being drug money.