NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand – Thai police on Tuesday interrogated two Chinese suspects captured less than eight hours after a brazen daylight gold robbery in Nakhon Ratchasima province.
The suspects claimed they were lured to the country by a high-paying drone repair scam that left them with only 20 baht.
The suspects, identified as Zou Qintao, 27, and Song Haolong, 19, were apprehended late Monday afternoon at a car rental agency in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit 77 area. Police recovered 44 gold rings and 24 pairs of gold earrings, valued at approximately 800,000 baht (about $24,500).
The robbery occurred Monday morning at a gold shop in the Dan Kwian district. According to investigators, two men wearing balaclavas and black long-sleeved shirts used a firearm to threaten staff before smashing a display case with a hammer. They fled the scene in a rented vehicle toward Chok Chai intersection.
The suspects claimed they were recruited via the internet to repair drones in Thailand for a promised fee of $40,000 per unit,” said Pol. Lt. Col. Prachya Nimala, deputy superintendent of Chok Chai Police.
“They stated that after following various GPS coordinates to border areas, they became frightened and refused to proceed, eventually running out of money.”
During initial questioning, the suspects alleged they resorted to the heist after their funds dwindled to just 20 baht. They admitted to selling a portion of the stolen loot for 16,800 baht prior to their arrest.
Police records indicate the pair had attempted a similar robbery in the Ban Lueam district on April 26 but abandoned the plan.
Surasak Jirawongpaisan, the gold shop owner, praised the swift police response but noted that his staff remained traumatized. “We will have to implement much stricter security measures from now on,” he said.
The suspects face charges of armed robbery using a vehicle to facilitate a crime or escape. A reenactment of the crime is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. (TNA)
