Filipino Gang Caught In Bangkok Trying To Steal 20-Karat Diamond

[webfact]

Filipino Gang Caught Trying to Steal 20-karat Diamond

BANGKOK: -- The Pathumwan Police have arrested a 6-member Filipino gang who were caught at a popular high-end Bangkok department store trying to steal a 20-karat diamond. The diamond is estimated to be worth more than 2 million baht.

[still-shot from CCTV footage at Thong Bai gold shop in Chinatown]

The gang members have been identified as;

1. Percy Cornell, 39 years old

2. Evalin Kwinto, 32 years old

3. Jessica Delacruz, 29 years old

4. Ecuado Lazo, 58 years old

5. Linda Fogatar, 57 years old

6. Zerkilia Sevilla, 59 years old

They were arrested on the first floor of Siam Paragon department store, a popular high-end department store in the shopping district of Pathumwan. The police caught them when they were attempting to steal a 20-karat diamond from James Pavilion.

The gang was also believed to be responsible for another heist in Yaowarat or Bangkok's Chinatown on Tuesday. The 6 members would split up into 2 groups. One group would pose as potential clients while the other would be responsible for distracting the shop staff, giving the first group a window of opportunity to steal the jewelry.

At Thong Bai gold shop in Yaowarat, one of the gang member was able to steal a pouch that contained 150 gold rings, each weighing at around 0.25baht weight of gold. The entire content of the pouch is estimated at 1 million baht. The incident was caught on the shop's CCTV camera.

Their attempt to steal the 2 million baht diamond was bungled when one of the shop staff at James Pavilion was able to remember the faces of the gang members that were published in newspapers after the gold shop robbery. The staff immediately notified the police when the gang entered the store.

The gang is believed to have been responsible for 4 other robberies. They are also believed to be linked with another gang of pickpockets that have been praying on sky train and subway passengers in Bangkok.

-- Tan Network 2012-03-08

[DLock]

Something isn't right.

Firstly, it's highly unlikely a store in Paragon would have a 20ct diamond on display, let alone let Customers view it in the store...if they even owned such a stone.

As far as price, even a 5ct round VS1 clarity and I (included) color would be $30,500 at wholesale PER CARAT, and that's a fairly average diamond.

And at 20ct's, it would be an extremely rare gem and exceedingly more expensive that "2million baht".

[nikster]

Something isn't right.

Firstly, it's highly unlikely a store in Paragon would have a 20ct diamond on display, let alone let Customers view it in the store...if they even owned such a stone.

As far as price, even a 5ct round VS1 clarity and I (included) color would be $30,500 at wholesale PER CARAT, and that's a fairly average diamond.

And at 20ct's, it would be an extremely rare gem and exceedingly more expensive that "2million baht".

hey they probably just wanted to sex up the story. james pavilion "alerted police as they entered the store" yet apparently knew they had planned to steal a 20ct diamond (rather than a bag full of gold rings?).

" I could see it in their eyes, officer - they wanted to steal our 20ct diamond"

[laurentbkk]

I doubt we would have name , age etc ... if it was thais who try to steal this diamond ..sorry guys but you dont keep a 20cts Diamond like this in a shop ..you keep it in the safe and show it to potential customers only ... you never display it like that ..... unless your name is Cartier or De beers

[Gone]

Yeah that's what I want to be doing when I'm 59. Public humiliation then ship them back to their nests.

[mijan24]

Karat ?? Google and you will find this is listed as Karat Sanitaryware

Great reporting I bet the writer is in line for a free tablet so he/she can learn to play chess!!

[NewlyMintedThai]

2 carat maybe.

[Scott]

Some anti-Filipino posts have removed.

[riceyummm]

Something isn't right.

Firstly, it's highly unlikely a store in Paragon would have a 20ct diamond on display, let alone let Customers view it in the store...if they even owned such a stone.

As far as price, even a 5ct round VS1 clarity and I (included) color would be $30,500 at wholesale PER CARAT, and that's a fairly average diamond.

And at 20ct's, it would be an extremely rare gem and exceedingly more expensive that "2million baht".

As a retired jeweler and Gemologist with 32 years in the trade I immediately noticed the same things you did. Even the lowest possible quality 20ct (not karat) diamond would be worth more than 2m B, a decent one would be in the millions US. Maybe some big face lift going on here?

You mixed up one term though, the word included refers to clarity not color.

[seminomadic]

Regarding the Skytrain pickpockets, I hope they're at least targeting the mouthbreathers gaping at the commercials and/or the rubes projecting their cellphone conversations the length of two cars.

[metisdead]

An off topic post has been removed.

[gosompoi]

Something isn't right.

Firstly, it's highly unlikely a store in Paragon would have a 20ct diamond on display, let alone let Customers view it in the store...if they even owned such a stone.

As far as price, even a 5ct round VS1 clarity and I (included) color would be $30,500 at wholesale PER CARAT, and that's a fairly average diamond.

And at 20ct's, it would be an extremely rare gem and exceedingly more expensive that "2million baht".

20ct = 200 0.1 ct stones.

[grandpa-m]

Was in the jewerly business for years and I can almost asure there are no 20 carat diamonds in Thailand ha ha ha

Edited March 8, 2012 by grandpa-m

[stockholm1995]

20 ct diamond for 2m baht??? I will visit the shop tomorrow and buy the diamond if it is true.

Maybe it was Cubic zircon.

A 20 ct diamond goes for $2 Million.

Here is one:

http://www.forbes.co...-20-carat-ring/

[frankold]

Saw a phillipino woman walking her kid around central, sending him into all the restaurants to ask if they'd found his iPhone.. Seems they get everywhere.

[gk10002000]

Something isn't right.

Firstly, it's highly unlikely a store in Paragon would have a 20ct diamond on display, let alone let Customers view it in the store...if they even owned such a stone.

As far as price, even a 5ct round VS1 clarity and I (included) color would be $30,500 at wholesale PER CARAT, and that's a fairly average diamond.

And at 20ct's, it would be an extremely rare gem and exceedingly more expensive that "2million baht".

It was a "metric" carat. But seriously, I agree. If it were 20 karat, it would be very rare if it were of any decent quality.

[ttelise]

Perhaps 20 carat total weight. Still big, but not quiet as rare as a single 20 ct stone.

Edited March 8, 2012 by ttelise

[ratcatcher]

Perhaps 20 carat total weight. Still big, but not quiet as rare as a single 20 ct stone.

[Tywais]

This is how big a 20ct diamond is. 20ct is 4 grams and 20mm x 15mm in size. From this site 1 ct is $6,000.00 USD so 20ct is $120,000 USD or 3.6 Million Baht. Of course all depends on the 4 Cs

[aussiejosh]

There is a small group of Filipinos around the Bangkok area who have been playing gang and pushing people around for at least 5 years, I would name their group but I really wouldn't want to give them the publicity. The rap and dance for public entertainment when they can get the chance, I think they put a show on in paragon, but at night time when they aren't around they hang out at places like narcissist in Sukhumvit 22 and beat up random people, usually 20+ on a single person. There seems to be a lot of problems coming here from there.

[Naam]

Something isn't right.

Firstly, it's highly unlikely a store in Paragon would have a 20ct diamond on display, let alone let Customers view it in the store...if they even owned such a stone.

As far as price, even a 5ct round VS1 clarity and I (included) color would be $30,500 at wholesale PER CARAT, and that's a fairly average diamond.

And at 20ct's, it would be an extremely rare gem and exceedingly more expensive that "2million baht".

not necessarily. you can buy diamonds with a decent cut generating a nice sparkle for as low as 600 US-Dollars per carat for a one-carat stone, going up to ~1,000 Dollars for much bigger stones.

[Naam]

Saw a phillipino woman walking her kid around central, sending him into all the restaurants to ask if they'd found his iPhone.. Seems they get everywhere.

seems everywhere are ignorants who are generalising.

[DLock]

Something isn't right.

Firstly, it's highly unlikely a store in Paragon would have a 20ct diamond on display, let alone let Customers view it in the store...if they even owned such a stone.

As far as price, even a 5ct round VS1 clarity and I (included) color would be $30,500 at wholesale PER CARAT, and that's a fairly average diamond.

And at 20ct's, it would be an extremely rare gem and exceedingly more expensive that "2million baht".

As a retired jeweler and Gemologist with 32 years in the trade I immediately noticed the same things you did. Even the lowest possible quality 20ct (not karat) diamond would be worth more than 2m B, a decent one would be in the millions US. Maybe some big face lift going on here?

You mixed up one term though, the word included refers to clarity not color.

Your right Riceyummm on my clarity vs color error. My bad.

[DLock]

This is how big a 20ct diamond is. 20ct is 4 grams and 20mm x 15mm in size. From this site 1 ct is $6,000.00 USD so 20ct is $120,000 USD or 3.6 Million Baht. Of course all depends on the 4 Cs

Tywais, unfortunately gem pricing is not linear like you suggest. It's very much exponential, and as you say dependent on the 4C's.

[DLock]

Was in the jewerly business for years and I can almost asure there are no 20 carat diamonds in Thailand ha ha ha

Gramps, I was going to say exactly the same thing but thought others would contradict me.

I have never actually seen a 20ct diamond in BKK. The largest I saw was a 16ct in a lot from an Indian Dealer that he was representing for a Thai seller, but he wanted some serious money for it.

[DLock]

Something isn't right.

Firstly, it's highly unlikely a store in Paragon would have a 20ct diamond on display, let alone let Customers view it in the store...if they even owned such a stone.

As far as price, even a 5ct round VS1 clarity and I (included) color would be $30,500 at wholesale PER CARAT, and that's a fairly average diamond.

And at 20ct's, it would be an extremely rare gem and exceedingly more expensive that "2million baht".

not necessarily. you can buy diamonds with a decent cut generating a nice sparkle for as low as 600 US-Dollars per carat for a one-carat stone, going up to ~1,000 Dollars for much bigger stones.

Naam, depends what you mean by "decent", but a diamond in the $600 range would be a low quality gem. Not saying you can't get an "enhanced" diamond in that range, but with diamonds, because they are graded and treatments generally disclosed, there are not of bargains in diamonds - you get what you pay for.

If you want a quick test, go to Ebay and type "1ct diamond" in the Loose Diamonds and Gemstones section purely as an indication of pricing.

[Tywais]

Tywais, unfortunately gem pricing is not linear like you suggest. It's very much exponential, and as you say dependent on the 4C's.

I'm sure you are right as the rarity will start weighing in heavily into the cost.

[rotary]

Maybe they were trying to save a "life" by not allowing someone to use that ring for marriage! ha ha ha

[Scott]

Racist post removed.

[Payboy]

=

Was in the jewerly business for years and I can almost asure there are no 20 carat diamonds in Thailand ha ha ha

Don't forget the Saudi Blue diamond 50-carats and counting.

Edited March 9, 2012 by Payboy