Armed thief steals over 10 million baht in gold from Sukhumvit mall
Police successfully identified a suspect in a late-night robbery at a gold shop inside a shopping mall on Soi Sukhumvit 50 in Bangkok, in which gold accessories worth more than 10 million baht and around 170,000 baht in cash were stolen.
The commander of Metropolitan Police Division 5, Wittawat Chinkham, told the media that the robbery took place at around 11.35pm on Saturday, January 31, when four female employees were preparing to close the shop for the night.
According to the workers’ statements, the gold shop officially closed at 10pm. The workers admitted that they left a small gap under the front door, which they said was part of their usual routine.
The employees were inside the shop completing the daily sales journal when the suspect reportedly entered through the gap beneath the door.
The staff told police that the thief threatened them with a gun and then poured fuel at the front of the shop, warning that he would set fire to the entire shopping mall if they refused to hand over the gold.
Fearing for their lives and the safety of others in the building, the workers complied, giving the suspect gold accessories and cash before he fled the scene.
Initial police assessments estimated that the stolen gold was worth more than 10 million baht, along with approximately 170,000 baht in cash. However, Wittawat later told Channel 7 that the value of the missing gold accessories could be as high as 13 million baht. The exact amount of losses remains under investigation.
A review of security camera footage revealed that the suspect had entered the shopping mall shortly after 10pm and wandered around the area for about an hour before committing the robbery. After the crime, he escaped from the scene on a motorcycle.
Police have since identified the suspect and are preparing to request an arrest warrant. Investigators also believe that the man may not have acted alone and are continuing inquiries to determine whether others were involved in planning or assisting with the robbery.
The four employees present at the shop during the incident also drew police attention due to the fact that the front door was left partially open. All four denied any involvement in the crime, insisting that leaving a small gap under the door was standard practice. They remain under police questioning as part of the ongoing investigation.
In addition to pursuing the suspect, police plan to hold discussions with the Gold Traders Association to explore improved security measures for gold shops nationwide, particularly as gold prices remain high and the risk of similar crimes increases.
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