On 6/2, Gia Lai Provincial Police announced that due to financial difficulties, Pham Anh Tai (aka Tai Den) and Le Van An had conspired and meticulously planned a bank robbery. Their preparations included scouting the location, securing transportation, and mapping out escape routes. The robbery at the Tra Ba transaction office in Pleiku City, Gia Lai, was not an impulsive act but the result of careful premeditation.
Specifically, the two agreed to target a transaction office with high transaction volumes and a location convenient for escape. They also prepared tools and means for the crime, as well as a plan to destroy evidence to evade police detection.
From their former base in Kon Tum, the pair traveled to Pleiku City multiple times to conduct reconnaissance. They observed busy periods, employee activities, and camera placements. Concurrently, they prepared firearms, transportation, concealing clothing, and developed a retreat plan, including the destruction of evidence after the crime.
On the afternoon of 19/1, Tai and An arrived at the Tra Ba transaction office with guns. Around 3:52 PM, the two stormed in, threatening staff and customers and demanding money.
Under threat of weapons, bank employees were forced to comply. In a short time, the two suspects stole nearly 1.9 billion VND before quickly leaving the scene according to their pre-planned route.
The incident left many witnesses in a state of panic, and transaction activities in the area were disrupted.
Fleeing across multiple localities
After committing the crime, Tai and An left Gia Lai for Ho Chi Minh City to dispose of the stolen assets. There, they limited contact with acquaintances and frequently changed residences to avoid detection.
Some time later, Le Van An returned to Quang Ngai to live normally, aiming to conceal his involvement in the robbery. Meanwhile, Pham Anh Tai continued to evade capture, moving through many localities without a fixed residence.
According to investigators, the two had deliberately planned to split up and hide to complicate the pursuit.
Recognizing this as a particularly serious case involving firearms, Gia Lai Provincial Police coordinated with the Criminal Police Department and relevant local police to conduct a widespread investigation.
Authorities extracted camera footage, reconstructed the suspects' travel routes, and reviewed individuals with criminal records, particularly those who had used firearms in Gia Lai and Quang Ngai. Simultaneously, a public movement to report crimes was launched, helping to gather numerous intelligence sources for the investigation.
On 6/2, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Long, Deputy Minister of Public Security and Head of the Investigative Police Agency, Ministry of Public Security, stated that during the review, Pham Anh Tai (Tai Den, 36 years old, Kon Tum ward, Quang Ngai province) emerged as a prime suspect. He was already wanted by Quang Ngai Provincial Police for murder in 2018, an act in which he used an AK rifle.
Once sufficient evidence was gathered, the special task force deployed personnel to arrest and conduct an urgent search of the two suspects' residences. Investigators seized: 4 handguns (type unspecified), 46 bullets, approximately 1 kg of lead shot, about 930 million VND in cash, 2 gold rings, and other related items and documents.
Additionally, Tai confessed to the murder that occurred on the evening of 5/8/2018 at Window Bar on Nguyen Hue street, Kon Tum City, former Kon Tum province.
The investigation is currently expanding.
Tran Hoa
