PATTAYA, THAILAND – An armed home invasion targeting a British chef and his wife in a Pattaya housing estate, with a haul of more than 2 million baht, continued to occupy investigators as five people remained in custody for questioning.
Robbery in Chokchai Village 9 housing estate
The robbery took place in the early hours of 26 February 2026 in a two‑storey townhouse in Chokchai Village 9 in Pattaya.
Three intruders dressed entirely in black and wearing masks forced their way into the home of Wesleigh Cyril Russell, a 32‑year‑old British chef working abroad, and his 34‑year‑old Thai wife.
Hostage situation and safe removed
The robbers were armed with knives and held one to Russell’s throat to pressure him while demanding cash.
They forced the couple and a visiting British friend into the kitchen, stole two iPhones, models 16 and 14, and then went upstairs.
Haul of more than two million baht
In the second‑floor bedroom, the assailants located a safe hidden in a wardrobe, removed it and carried it out of the house.
According to police information, the safe contained more than 2 million baht in cash, which the couple had recently withdrawn from a bank to finance the purchase of a house.
Getaway plan using three vehicles
A black four‑door Ford pickup truck was waiting in front of the house, which the group used to flee the scene, initially taking the parallel railway road.
Along this route, the group discarded the stolen mobile phones near Soi Nong Krabok, then continued to Sukhumvit Road before turning toward Wat Boonyakantharam and Jomtien.
Vehicle switch and suspected cash distribution
Surveillance camera footage showed, according to police, that at about 10:57 p.m. the perpetrators switched to a white SUV near an apartment building in Soi Boonyakantharam 5, around eight to nine kilometres from the crime scene.
They entered the building for about five minutes, during which investigators believed they opened the safe and divided the cash before continuing their escape.
Third vehicle and escape toward Chonburi
At around 11:33 p.m., another four‑door Ford pickup appeared, which picked up the group before they drove onto the Bang Na‑Trat section of Sukhumvit Road toward Chonburi province.
Police described the use of three vehicles as a highly sophisticated escape plan that reminded them of scenes from the “Fast & Furious” action films.
Suspected insider knowledge
Investigators from Nong Prue Police Station, Chonburi Provincial Police, Immigration Police and Tourist Police worked on the assumption of a planned robbery in which the perpetrators knew about the large amount of cash kept in the house.
They examined whether there had been an insider tip and whether the suspects might share the same nationality as the victim or be connected to him through a cannabis shop in central Pattaya.
Five people in investigators’ sights
In a development announced on 28 February 2026, investigators detained three persons of interest, including a tall foreign man.
Two more individuals were later taken into custody, with officers stressing that questioning was ongoing and that none of the five had yet been formally charged or classified as official suspects.
Police withhold key details
Police reported “rapid progress” in the case but refrained from disclosing the identities or nationalities of those being held.
The investigation continued, and authorities expected to release further details at a later stage.