BANGKOK, THAILAND – A high-profile gold shop robbery in the Sukhumvit area with loot worth about 15 million Baht was provisionally solved after a three-week nationwide manhunt ended with the arrest of a suspect in northern Thailand.
Suspect arrested near Chiang Rai dam after weeks on the run
Police said the 29‑year‑old suspect, identified as Jalor, was detained at a lodging near the Mae Suai dam in Mae Suai district of Chiang Rai province as he appeared to be preparing to flee across the nearby border. According to Pol Lt Gen Noppasin Poolsawas, investigators had tracked his movements for nearly three weeks as he repeatedly changed his appearance with caps and wigs and frequently switched locations.
Late-night armed raid in Bangkok hypermarket gold shop
The armed robbery took place on 30 January at about 11:30 p.m. at an Aurora gold shop inside a Lotus’s hypermarket in Bangkok’s Klong Toey district, just as four female employees were about to close. Surveillance footage showed a man in a long‑sleeved blue shirt, long trousers and a sun hat rushing into the store, pouring gasoline and threatening the staff with a handgun.
Gold, cash and an alleged escape plan
Investigators found that 179 Baht‑weight of the shop’s gold jewellery, 19 Baht‑weight of used gold and 170,000 Baht in cash were stolen, with a total value of around 14.8 million Baht. Police said Jalor had scouted the location on the two days before the robbery and then used a motorcycle with a fake licence plate to escape in the late‑night hours, when the mall was largely empty.
Charges, confession and transfer to Bangkok
A court warrant had been issued for the suspect on charges including armed robbery at night, committing the crime behind a protective barrier and using a vehicle to flee and transport the loot. Police stated that Jalor had confessed to the robbery and that he would be taken back to Phra Khanong police station, which has jurisdiction over the crime scene, for further questioning and prosecution.
Nationwide security review as gold prices soar
Following the robbery, the Royal Thai Police ordered strengthened preventive measures at gold shops nationwide and held talks with the gold dealers association on possible security upgrades. The association urged shops to rapidly improve their security standards, noting that domestic gold prices had risen by more than 70 percent and now exceeded 80,000 Baht per Baht‑weight, increasing the appeal for criminals.
Record prices highlight financial dimension of the case
On Thursday, gold prices climbed by another 800 Baht compared with the previous day’s close, further underlining the financial scale of the heist. For gold bars, buying and selling prices stood at 73,500 and 73,700 Baht respectively, while gold jewellery was quoted at 72,025.16 Baht for buying and 74,5500 Baht for selling.
“The association is pushing gold shops to swiftly upgrade their security standards, as the domestic gold price has risen by more than 70 percent and now exceeds 80,000 Baht per Baht-weight, which increases the attractiveness for offenders.”
said the gold dealers association, in discussions with police.