Unemployed Thai man arrested for gold theft after his birthday party

Police arrested an unemployed Thai man for stealing a gold necklace from a shop in Bangkok after paying off debts and throwing himself a belated birthday party at a resort in the central province of Kanchanaburi.

Officers at Phetchakasem Police Station received a theft complaint at the Mae Thong Kham gold shop on Phetchakasem Road in Bangkok’s Bang Kae district at 5.40pm on December 13. The thief grabbed a gold necklace worth about 38,000 baht and fled the scene.

Security cameras in the area identified the thief as a 25 year old Thai man named Supasake. He was seen selling the stolen necklace to another gold shop not far from where it was stolen. Further investigation revealed that Supasake fled Bangkok for Kanchanaburi province.

Officers spotted Supasek outside a convenience store wearing the same red long-sleeved shirt and trousers he wore during the crime. They followed him to a resort in the province and finally arrested him at around 5pm yesterday, December 14.

Police searched his room and found that Supasake was with his wife. The wall of the room was decorated with birthday balloons and flashing lights. Supasake revealed that he was born on December 9, but that he and his wife had just had a birthday party the night before he was arrested.

Supasake confessed that he used to work as a security guard but lost his job and was unable to pay an installment on his car. He had to borrow money from his father-in-law to pay the last four months’ instalments.

Supasake explained that he sold the gold necklace for 61,400 baht. He paid off his debt to his father-in-law and spent the rest on his birthday party at the resort. He showed that he had about 5,000 baht left.

Supasake was charged with committing a theft which will result in imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of up to 100,000 baht according to Section 336 of the Criminal Law.