Ex-police officer foiled in Phatthalung gold shop robbery attempt

A former police officer, dismissed from service, attempted to rob a gold shop in Phatthalung’s central market. Armed with a gun and a hammer, the suspect was thwarted by the shop owner who noticed the gun was fake and managed to apprehend him.

Phatthalung City Police Station received a report at around 11.30am from a concerned citizen about a robbery at a gold shop. The incident occurred at Yaowarat Gold Shop, located in the fresh market within Phatthalung Municipality.

Upon receiving the report, the police investigative team arrived at the scene and detained the suspect, identified as 32 year old Jem. Jem is a former police officer who was dismissed from service in the three southern border provinces.

CCTV footage revealed Jem entering the shop wearing a helmet and wielding a gun. He then used a hammer to smash the glass display case containing gold items, causing significant damage. However, the shop owner noticed that the gun was fake and quickly subdued Jem before calling the police.

“I noticed the gun was fake, so I took my chance and tackled him.”

Currently, police are interrogating Jem, who has yet to provide much information. Before the theft attempt, Jem was seen riding a motorcycle around the gold shop. He then parked the motorcycle at a nearby temple and was picked up by a car that drove him to the gold shop, where he carried out the attempted robbery.

Further updates on the situation will be provided as the investigation continues, reported KhaoSod.

In related news, police arrested a Thai man at an apartment in the central province of Samut Sakhon for the theft of a gold necklace worth nearly 130,000 baht, following a four-hour police operation. The gold thief committed the crime at a som tam restaurant in the central province of Nakhon Pathom at 3pm on July 12. He pretended to order food from the victim before using a gun to threaten her into removing her gold necklace and giving it to him.