Thai national arrested for Pattaya street gold robbery
Pattaya police last night apprehended a 19 year old Thai national, Wutthikrai Poonsang, following a robbery incident that occurred on Pattaya Walking Street on January 10. Wutthikrai is accused of snatching a gold necklace from a Thai woman named Amarin Kokaew.
On the previous day, Wutthikrai allegedly stole a 1 baht weight gold necklace, valued at 32,000 baht, from Amarin. The location of his arrest was a rented room on Sukhumvit Road in Central Pattaya. At around 9pm, authorities seized a blue Yamaha Fino motorcycle from Wutthikrai, believed to have been used during the crime.
Upon arrest, Wutthikrai confessed to the robbery, admitting he had sold Amarin’s necklace to a South Pattaya gold shop for 22,000 baht. He further confessed to using the money gained from the sale for personal spending, online gambling, and to settle his debts.
Following the arrest, Amarin was asked to identify the suspect at Pattaya Police Station, where she positively identified Wutthikrai as the perpetrator. She expressed gratitude to the police for their swift response and effective handling of the case. In a surprising twist, Wutthikrai, showing remorse for his actions, apologized to Amarin and promised to abstain from criminal activities in the future.
Security footage played a significant role in the apprehension of the suspect. The video recordings showed Wutthikrai riding his motorbike, seemingly scouting for potential victims before he targeted Amarin. After the robbery, he made his escape along Pattaya Second Road, then made a right turn onto Pattaya Central Road, and a left into Soi 14.
Wutthikrai made an effort to cover his tracks after the crime. He abandoned his black jacket in an alleyway and headed towards a nearby shopping complex. Once there, he parked his motorbike, entered the mall, and waited patiently, attempting to blend in with the crowd until the situation cooled down.
Wutthikrai is currently under detention, awaiting legal proceedings for his actions.
