A planned gold theft in Tak ended in failure when a man was caught by police just moments after grabbing a necklace from a mall jewellery shop.
The incident happened at Wang Tokang Gold Shop inside the Lotus shopping mall in Tak around 7:09 p.m. on August 18. Staff noticed the suspect’s suspicious behaviour and discreetly alerted security.
The man, later identified as Thanapol, 28, asked to see a gold necklace weighing one baht, valued at 53,350 baht. As soon as the item was shown, he grabbed it and ran for the exit. Staff shouted for help as security tried to intercept him.
By coincidence, a police patrol was already inside the mall checking another jewellery store. Hearing the commotion, officers immediately rushed toward the scene. They spotted Thanapol running from the shop and detained him before he could leave the building.
The necklace was later found dropped about 15 meters away near a nearby store. A search of Thanapol’s bag revealed a 20 cm fruit knife. He also had parked a blue-black Honda Wave motorcycle with Sukhothai plates at the mall exit, which police seized as evidence.
According to investigators, Thanapol confessed to the attempted theft, saying he was broke and acted out of desperation. He claimed the knife was something he always carried and insisted it was not used in the robbery.
The head of Tak Police Station, Pol. Col. Sitthichai Yimyuan, along with deputies and more than 50 officers, arrived to support the investigation.
Police have charged Thanapol with theft involving the use of a vehicle to aid escape. The stolen necklace, knife, and motorcycle were all seized as evidence. He has been transferred to Tak Police Station for further legal action.
