Filipino thief’s gem blunder: Nabbed on return to Bangkok airport

A Filipino man who stole a 250,000 baht necklace from a shop in a Bangkok shopping mall in March returned to Thailand today, leading to his arrest at Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

The 49 year old Filipino thief, Rolly, committed the crime at an accessory store within a shopping mall in the Pathum Wan district of Bangkok on March 26. He posed as a client and requested to see the necklace, which was made from diamonds and 20 grammes of gold.

Rolly seized the opportunity while the staff member was busy with her work and walked out of the store with the necklace. Police were able to identify him after reviewing security camera footage. However, officers were unable to arrest him in time as he left Thailand immediately after the theft.

Police closely monitored Rolly and discovered that he would arrive in Thailand via Suvarnabhumi Airport in the early hours of today, September 5. Officers kept watch on the security camera screens until they spotted the foreign thief and arrested him at about 3.30am.

Rolly attempted to present himself as trustworthy by wearing formal attire similar to that of a businessman. At the time of his arrest, he was wearing a white sweater over a blue-striped long-sleeve shirt.

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, Teeradate Thammasutee, issued a warning to jewellery stores across the country to be wary of clients who dress well and present a perfect profile. Employees at each shop must exercise caution when showing valuable products to customers.

Teeradate also suggested that each store install high-resolution security cameras to aid police in identifying criminals and increasing the chances of recovering stolen valuables. He added that an alert signal connected to a nearby police station is also necessary.

In a related incident reported in April, a foreign couple was caught on CCTV stealing a diamond bracelet worth over 1 million baht from a shop in a shopping mall in Bangkok. The foreign woman was seen hiding the bracelet under her long-sleeve shirt.

After obtaining the accessory, the couple rushed out of the mall and left the scene in a taxi. They then left Thailand on the day of the incident and remain at large.