Chanthaburi man arrested for granny robbing spree to buy drugs

A Thai man today was arrested in Chanthaburi for heartlessly robbing an elderly curry shop owner, stripping her golden bracelet to fund his drug abuse habits. CCTV footage captured the incident clearly, leading to the suspect’s capture, who had a prior history of deceiving and robbing elderly shop owners.

The Deputy Commander of Chanthaburi Provincial Police, Arkhaphong Suntornwipat, reported the arrest of 30 year old Ekaphon. The suspect was apprehended with a Yamaha motorcycle used in the crime.

The incident occurred in the early hours of July 1, Ekaphon targeted a 74 year old rice curry shop owner in Soi Wat Mai Subdistrict, Mueang Chanthaburi. He snatched a 1-baht-weight gold bracelet, valued at approximately 40,000 baht, from the elderly victim while she was opening her shop.

The police reviewed CCTV footage that clearly recorded the crime, which led them to investigate further and eventually apprehend Ekaphon. He was taken to the police station for additional questioning.

During the interrogation, Ekaphon confessed to being the person seen in the CCTV footage. After the robbery, he sold the stolen gold to a shop nearby. He then used the money to purchase drugs and for general expenses.

Further investigations revealed that the suspect had no stable job and had a history of deceiving elderly shop owners in Chanthaburi. He would show fake transaction slips, buy goods, and then flee with the items on his motorcycle. To evade capture, he would frequently change the colour of his motorcycle.

Initially, police charged Ekaphon with robbery using a vehicle to commit a crime, escape capture, and cause physical or psychological harm to others. The suspect was then taken to the crime scene for a reenactment before being handed over to investigators for further legal action, reported KhaoSod.

In separate news, the Royal Thai Police announced a significant increase in drug seizures over the past nine months, capturing nearly 800 million methamphetamine pills and seizing assets worth 9.3 billion baht. This marks a 120.63% rise from the previous year.