Serial Scammer Strikes Again: 'Armpit Bandit' Released from Prison, Hides Change Under Her Arm at Convenience Store Fraud
A 54-year-old woman nicknamed the "Armpit Bandit" was arrested in Bangkok after being released from prison for the same scam: hiding change under her arm at convenience stores, then falsely claiming she didn't receive full payment to get re
Police arrested a notorious 54-year-old woman known as the 'Armpit Bandit' on May 1, 2025, at a shopping mall in Bangkok's Bangna area after she alighted from a bus. The suspect, Namphueng, had been wanted on a theft charge since March 20 by Ayutthaya Provincial Court. She was apprehended while stepping off a bus near a department store in the Bangna area.
Her modus operandi involves pretending to shop for items under 100 baht, paying with a 1,000-baht note, and when given 500 and 100-baht notes as change, she quickly hides the 500-baht note under her armpit. She then complains about defective merchandise to distract the cashier, claims she didn't receive full change, and convinces them to return her original 1,000 baht before fleeing. This scheme earned her the nickname 'Armpit Bandit.'
Investigations revealed Namphueng had previously been arrested for identical crimes in June 2024 and was released in early 2025. Despite her time in prison, she resumed her criminal activities without remorse, typically targeting young employees to make it easier to distract them. She had operated across multiple locations in Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani, and Bangkok, causing significant losses to business owners.
When questioned, the suspect denied all allegations and claimed the person in news photos was not her. However, police were unconvinced. Officers gathered evidence and obtained an arrest warrant. After learning she was hiding in the Bangna area, they moved in to apprehend her as she exited a bus near a shopping mall. She was transferred to Phra In Racha Police Station for further legal proceedings.
