Picture courtesy of SiamRath.

 

Police have apprehended a 61-year-old woman wanted for a brutal robbery involving an elderly victim in Buriram province, in a case that shocked the local community.

 

On 8 August, Police Major General Witthaya Sriprasertphap, commander of the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), ordered officers led by Superintendent Phatarawut Onchuay to arrest Mrs Woraphan under an arrest warrant issued by Nang Rong Provincial Court on 26 September 2024. She faces charges of aggravated robbery with violence and unlawful detention. The arrest took place at a resort in Wat Tabak village, Thep Sathit district, Chaiyaphum province.

 

The investigation revealed that on 25 March 2024, Mrs Kiat, a 72-year-old woman, was waiting at a bus stop along the Nang Rong-Buriram road in Nang Rong district when two women, later identified as Mrs Somporn and Mrs Woraphan, approached her under the pretense of asking for directions. Noticing the elderly woman wore a significant amount of gold jewellery, the suspects lured her into their car.

 

After gaining her trust and accompanying her on errands, the suspects deviated from the route on the return journey. Seizing the opportunity, they assaulted Mrs Kiat, threatened her with a firearm and forcibly stole her valuable possessions, including a 5-baht gold necklace, a 1-baht gold pendant, a 1-salueng gold ring, 12,000 baht in cash and a mobile phone, with a combined value exceeding 300,000 baht.

 

The assailants tied the victim’s hands and drove her to a public pond in Kan Luang subdistrict before violently pushing her out of the vehicle into the water and fleeing the scene. Fortunately, bystanders came to the elderly woman’s aid.

 

Following the incident, police gathered evidence and obtained arrest warrants for both suspects. Mrs Somporn was arrested previously, while Mrs Woraphan had been listed as a wanted fugitive before her capture. During initial questioning, Mrs Woraphan denied all charges. She has a criminal history linked to a scam gang that impersonated monks to deceive villagers and charge large sums for fake rituals in Phetchabun province.

 

Mrs Woraphan is now in custody awaiting further legal proceedings at Nang Rong Police Station. Authorities continue to urge the public to remain vigilant against similar crimes targeting vulnerable individuals.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from SiamRath 2025-08-09

 

 

 

Some.of that thainess i'll never understand.

13 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Noticing the elderly woman wore a significant amount of gold jewellery

 

Yeah, that's stupid for an elderly woman to be adorned in copious amounts of gold.

Or anyone, actually.