Chon Buri police nab thief stealing 18,000 baht gold bracelet

A theft at a gold shop in Chon Buri Province was foiled when police apprehended a 21 year old factory worker who posed as a customer to steal a gold bracelet.

The suspect, Shinawatra, was arrested and confessed to the crime, prompted by the high gold prices to fund personal expenses.

The brazen theft occurred at a gold shop in the municipal area of Phanat Nikhom district, Chon Buri Province, where Shinawatra took advantage of the shop assistant’s momentary distraction to pocket a 2-salung (a traditional Thai unit of weight) gold bracelet worth 18,000 baht.

The incident, captured on CCTV, showed the thief wearing a long-sleeved black t-shirt, casually entering the shop, and swiftly making off with the jewellery before speeding away on a black Honda Wave motorcycle.

Police Colonel Thammarat Akkaraichaiyapong, the superintendent of Phanat Nikhom Police Station, together with his team, managed to locate and arrest Shinawatra in the district of Plaeng Yao, Chachoengsao Province. The suspect was brought back to the crime scene to reenact his actions, a standard procedure in Thai law enforcement.

Upon questioning, Shinawatra admitted that the allure of high gold prices led him to commit the theft. After stealing the bracelet, he sold it at a pawnshop in Chachoengsao for personal financial gain, not anticipating the swift police response that would lead to his capture.

The manager of the robbed gold shop, 57 year old Prasak Kornleelaratmi, expressed gratitude to the police for their prompt action, reported KhaoSod.

He advised fellow gold shop owners to keep a close watch on customers who spend an unusually long time browsing, as the current high value of gold, with a 2-salung piece fetching up to 17,000 baht, makes it an attractive target for thieves.

In related news, a primary 4 girl returned a gold bracelet worth more than 70,000 baht to its owner. Villagers flocked to praise the honest girl who picked up a 2 baht (approximately 30.32 grammes) gold bracelet and returned it to the owner.