Gold heist foiled: Ex-guard’s fake gun fails to secure glittering loot
A former security guard was arrested for attempting to steal gold worth US$76,600 with a fake gun from a popular gold store in a Bang Khae shopping mall in Bangkok.
Police Colonel Ponganun Klaiklueng, together with other officers, arrested the 35 year old suspect, Nitinant, in Nonthaburi. The man was found in possession of 71 baht of gold, valued at approximately US$76,600, a fake gun, and a white Toyota Corolla.
During the initial investigation, the suspect admitted to previously having worked as a security guard but had recently been laid off and needed an income. He planned to use a counterfeit firearm to rob the gold store, scoping out various locations before choosing the target in Bang Khae’s Lotus shopping centre.
The suspect in this case had visited several other stores but ultimately decided on the one in Bang Khae due to its open space and lack of glass doors or stainless steel cages.
The suspect was taken into custody, and the stolen gold, fake gun, and vehicle were handed over to the Bang Khae police station for further investigation and legal proceedings.
In related news, a gold shop robber in central Thailand yesterday failed in his attempts to get away with several gold items after a cop shot him. The robber ended up seriously injured from the gunshot wound. The incident occurred in the Samut Chedi district of Thailand’s Samut Prakan province.
The male suspect on a motorbike entered a gold shop near a market in Baan Klong Suan. The suspect then grabbed several gold items at gunpoint. The shop’s glass door was automatically locked after the suspect entered, so he shot at the door to break the glass and escape.
The suspect rushed to his motorbike. However, Sakha Patrol Police were nearby, and they had heard the sound of the shattering glass. Officers rushed to the scene, and the suspect fired several shots at them as they approached. Read more about the incident HERE.
