Police Catch Pattaya Gold Robbers

[george]

Police catch Pattaya gold robbers

CHONBURI: -- Once upon a time, gold robberies were something normally carried out by masked gunmen, but now all you appear to need is a fake credit card.

Police in Pattaya today arrested a young couple in conjunction with a series of thefts from gold shops around the resort town, carried out not at gunpoint, but with a little help from some fake paperwork.

Mr. Pheemwat Thongpan, 23, and Mrs. Jarunee Jeeratchon, 24, were caught as they attempted to make a purchase from a gold shop whose owner became suspicious of their cards.

They were later found to be carrying fake ID cards, as well as nearly Bt60,000 in cash and a number of pieces of gold jewellery.

During police questioning, the couple confessed to using fake documents to make purchasers from two shops, but refused to say where they had obtained the fake cards.

The two face initial charges of cheating and counterfeiting official documents.

--TNA 2005-04-15