Three masked robbers arrested

PHUKET TOWN: Three of the four masked robbers who held the owner of a grocery store and his family at gunpoint nine days ago were arrested yesterday afternoon. The robbers, dressed in rubber “ghost” masks, robbed the family in their store, near Suanluang Park, of 67,000 baht in cash and gold jewelry. The arrests were made in a police raid on a house in a rubber plantation off Sri Soontorn Rd in Moo Baan Rayan in Thalang District. “We heard from our investigation team that [the robbers] lived and worked there, so we sent two of our men and six of our police trainees to the house in the plantation,” Pol Maj Adul Niraphai of the Phuket Town Police Station told the Gazette. The three arrested were named as Song Mittaka, 33, and Jamnong Suksai, 35, both from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, and Mongkon Yaunset, 29, from Krabi. When the three men were brought to Phuket Town Police Station, they confessed that they were the robbers. They also confirmed police suspicions that a fourth person was involved. He has been named as Arnont Boonthong, 28, from Krabi, who is believed to have been the leader of the gang and the one who held the grocery store owner at gunpoint. “Arnont lived near the shop, so he knew what was going on [there]. We’ve sent people to find him. I think we will be able to arrest him soon,” Maj Adul added. The police have charged the three men with robbery. If convicted, they could face up to 20 years in jail.