POLICE succeeded in arresting a former soldier who robbed a gold shop in Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) province earlier this week in Pattaya late last night (Apr. 15) and recovered most of the 51 three-baht weight gold chains, Sanook.com said.
Mr. Kittipong Phaethaisong, or Bess, was tracked down to a hotel at this seaside city where he had holed up since the gold shop heist on Apr. 12 that only lasted 20 seconds.
Pol. Col. Prasit Premkamon, superintendent of the Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima police station, together with a team of policemen took the suspect for a crime reenactment at the Lotus hypermarket where the gold shop is located.
They said he confessed to having committed the crime because he was jobless and had no money.
Police have tracked down most of the 51 stolen gold chains worth over 4.5 million baht.
The suspect’s wife was taken along to search their house in Baan Mai subdistrict, Mueang district, where 28 gold chains were found buried in the ground. They also retrieved two gold chains the suspect had sold to his friend while escaping. Another two gold chains were found by local residents on the escape route while 11 of them were found with another friend he had asked to keep for him.
Police are currently tracking down the remaining gold chains.
CAPTION:
The suspect upon being arrested at the Pattaya hotel room and later reenacting the crime at the hypermarket. Photos: Sanook.com
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