Crime Robber Nabbed Minutes After Gold Heist at Hat Yai Lotus Mall

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Naewna.

 

A lone thief who staged a daring daylight robbery at a gold shop inside Hat Yai’s Lotus mall has been swiftly apprehended by police, thanks to quick coordination between mall security and nearby patrol officers.

 

The incident took place at approximately 10.25 on 24 June, at the Aurora gold shop, located inside Lotus Hat Yai Nai branch. The suspect, later identified as Mr. Yotphon Niratthisai, 36, from Songkhla’s Mueang District, entered the premises pretending to be a customer. Wearing a hooded top to obscure his identity, he requested to view gold necklaces before suddenly grabbing five of them, each weighing five baht in gold and fleeing from the scene.

 

As the robber sprinted towards the front entrance, a security guard gave immediate chase. Fortunately, a police patrol team was stationed at a convenience store directly opposite the mall on Phetkasem Road. Upon being alerted, the officers intervened and managed to detain the suspect near Soi 41, directly across from the shopping complex.

 

A search of the suspect revealed all five gold necklaces hidden inside his shirt pocket. The total weight of the stolen gold was 25 baht, with an estimated value of approximately 1.3 million baht.

 

Subsequent CCTV footage confirmed the sequence of events. It showed Mr. Niratthisai loitering near the mall entrance before approaching the gold shop. After he committed the robbery, he then fled the mall on foot, crossing the street in a failed attempt to evade capture.

 

Following his arrest, the suspect was taken by police to re-enact the crime for investigative purposes. The reconstruction included locations such as the waiting area in front of the mall, the gold shop itself, the escape route and the point of arrest on Phetkasem Road in Khuan Lang subdistrict.

 

Pol. Col. Pakin Na Ranong, Deputy Commander of Songkhla Provincial Police, praised the rapid response of both the security personnel and patrol officers involved in the arrest. He also issued a warning to all gold shop proprietors to exercise greater vigilance, particularly towards individuals wearing clothing that conceals their identity, such as hats, hoods, sunglasses or motorcycle helmets.

 

“In the current economic climate, we urge all gold shops to enforce strict protocols, requesting customers to remove face coverings and refusing entry if they do not comply,” he said. “We must enhance security measures across the board to prevent future robberies.”

 

The stolen gold has since been recovered in full and the suspect is now in police custody awaiting legal proceedings.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Naewna 2025-06-25