HAT YAI, Thailand –– Thai police have issued a stern warning to the Malaysian suspect who carried out a daring armed robbery at a gold shop in Hat Yai, stating that he will be shot if he resists arrest. A special task force has been mobilized to track the suspect relentlessly until he is caught.
The suspect, identified as Yi Bunlong, stormed into Thai Udom Gold Shop 2 in downtown Hat Yai with a firearm and fled with a significant amount of gold. According to Police General Thanayut Wutthijarathamrong, a special advisor to the Royal Thai Police, authorities are confident the suspect will be apprehended soon.
Thanayut held a high-level meeting with all relevant police units in Songkhla, including Provincial Police Region 9, Hat Yai Police Station, Immigration, Border Patrol Police, and forensic teams, to expedite the investigation.
The suspect is a repeat offender, previously deported after serving time for a similar crime. Despite being blacklisted, he managed to re-enter Thailand. Police are now investigating how he crossed the border again, and coordination with Malaysian authorities is underway.
Police have traced the suspect’s last known location through a motorbike taxi driver he hired after the robbery. Authorities have obtained valuable information about where the suspect was dropped off and believe they are closing in on his current whereabouts.
A reward of 100,000 baht has been offered for information leading to his arrest. Border security has been tightened, with immigration, border patrol, and military personnel instructed to monitor crossings along the Thai-Malaysian border to prevent the suspect from escaping the country.
