Lone thief snatches 210,000 baht gold necklace in a daring mall heist

[webfact]

 

A bold theft occurred yesterday at 7pm when a lone robber seized a 5-baht weight gold necklace valued at over 210,000 baht from the Aurora gold shop located inside a shopping mall in Bang Kaeo, Bang Phli District, Samut Prakan Province.

 

The thief, under the guise of examining the jewellery, snatched the necklace and fled the scene, leaving the shop staff and police in shock.

 

At the scene on the second floor of the shopping mall, police cordoned off the vicinity of the Aurora gold shop and promptly began their investigation. Surveillance footage revealed the suspect, a tall man with dark, reddish skin, entering the shop at 6.32pm, wearing a floral shirt, white shorts, and a face mask. He appeared to have planned the heist meticulously, carrying a black bag as he approached the employees under the pretence of interest in the gold necklace.

 

The staff, unsuspecting of the impending crime, showcased four necklaces from the display, but as one of the employees reached for a mirror at the suspect’s request, he seized the opportunity to grab a necklace and made a swift escape.

 

The stolen item, weighing 5 bahts, is approximately 210,000 baht (US$ 5,700) in value. Shocked by the sudden turn of events, the employees recounted that the man did not specify the type of necklace he wanted, prompting them to present four different styles.

 

The police are now closely examining the crime scene and reviewing additional CCTV footage from the surrounding area to track the escape route taken by the perpetrator.

In related news, in a brazen daylight heist, a young man robbed a gold shop in Kamphaeng Phet Province, making off with two baht-weight gold necklaces valued at 74,300 baht (US$2,000). The robbery took place at approximately 3.30pm on March 1, when the suspect, feigning a regular purchase, snatched the jewellery and fled on a motorcycle.

 

by Nattapong Westwood

Picture courtesy of KhaoSod

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-04-16

 

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[connda]

Lone thief snatches 210,000 baht gold necklace in a daring mall heist 

 

Given my calculations that was one 5 baht-weight necklace (5 x 41 = 20.5K; add the markup and you have a 210K necklace).  Big whoop.  Many Thais wear 3 to 5 baht-weight jewelry.  However, most of the jewelry was purchase back when Thai gold was selling for 12K THB per baht-weight or less. 

Notice - if the news reported:
Lone Thief Snatches 5 baht-weight Necklace In A Snatch-and-Run Mall Heist 
Well, that's not very interesting is it.  But sprinkle the theft with loads of hyperbole?  "Major gold theft in 'daring mall heist.'"  My guess is the moron asked to see the necklace, grabbed it and ran.  Not quite the same as other "gold heists" where robbers come in with firearms and shoot people and exit with a few tens of million in jewelry and bullion.  (I hadn't read the article, just the headline, and "Yep," that's exactly what happened.  "Heist" of the century.  😜)

I should have started a journalism course in writing articles with maximum hyperbole, but?  It seems this current generation of reporters have already honed it to a science. 

[ChrisY1]

The stupidity of wearing masks for ever....it suits crooks really well.....

[Will B Good]

I don"t understand why the doors don't lock automatically behind anyone going in.....you are then given a token of some kind to exit.

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

leaving the shop staff and police in shock.

Leaving the Police in shock   

Why these places serve customers with masks, and sometimes with a full face crash helmet also no security screens, and right near the exit/entry doors, never ceases to amaze me, its like they are asking to be robbed.

Check under his mums bed cops once you have got over your shock. 

[JoePai]

1 hour ago, Will B Good said:

I don"t understand why the doors don't lock automatically behind anyone going in.....you are then given a token of some kind to exit.

Umm what doors ?

[connda]

Duplicate.

 

 

[connda]

 

17 minutes ago, JoePai said:

Umm what doors ?

Exactly.  Look around.  The gold shop is in a mall like Big C.  What are you going to do - lock everyone in?  Then panic, especially if a gun is pulled out and shot and customers stampede the doors trying to get out?

They all have cameras.  I can't really think of a case where one of these thieves steal gold and actually get away with it, especially when it's taken from a gold shop in a mall.  So why present a risk to those in the mall?  The cops will eventually track the guy down. 

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The staff, unsuspecting of the impending crime, showcased four necklaces from the display, but as one of the employees reached for a mirror at the suspect’s request, he seized the opportunity to grab a necklace and made a swift escape

Yet another gold shop wide open and asking to be robbed.

[Will B Good]

On 4/16/2024 at 12:46 PM, JoePai said:

Umm what doors ?

Just realised that…I assumed it was a gold ‘shop’.