A manhunt is underway for the gold thief at the famous Sukhumvit 50 mall. Police convened an investigative team meeting, confirming the suspect is Thai but remain unconvinced he acted alone. They have not ruled out any possibilities, including the front remote-controlled door of the shop that was not fully closed. Investigators are urgently questioning four female employees.
In the case of the suspect using a firearm to rob a gold shop inside a department store in the Sukhumvit area, Phra Khanong Police Station jurisdiction, the thief fled with approximately 149 baht of gold and about 170,000 baht in cash, causing losses exceeding 10 million baht. The incident occurred at 11:30 p.m. on 30 January 2026.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Witawat Chinkham, Commander of Metropolitan Police Division 5, revealed that CCTV footage shows the suspect as a man dressed in full, concealing his face, entering the shop while threatening employees with a firearm and pouring oil inside. It remains unconfirmed whether the firearm was real or fake. At the time, the mall and gold shop were closed, and employees were counting gold. The shop’s door was not fully closed, which the suspect exploited to enter. After the robbery, the suspect immediately fled the mall. Police are currently reviewing CCTV footage along various routes to quickly track down the perpetrator.
Latest updates on 31 January 2026 report that Pol. Maj. Gen. Pallop Arm-la, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, personally visited the crime scene with relevant officers to collect additional evidence and interview involved parties. After the inspection, the gold shop will close for one day.
Meanwhile, reporters spoke with Ms. Paew, the district manager of the gold shop, who said she rushed to the scene immediately after learning of the incident and questioned employees inside. She initially learned that at the time of the incident, staff were securing valuables into the safe.
Normally, the shop closes around 8:00 p.m., but on the night of the incident, many customers arrived, causing a later closing time. The suspect took advantage of this to slip through the front door, which operates by remote control.
At that time, there were four female employees inside the shop. CCTV footage shows the suspect entering from the restroom side, pausing briefly in front of the shop, then immediately crawling inside.
Regarding planning, Ms. Paew said it is unclear. However, based on the suspect’s attire and equipment—wearing a hat, long sleeves, gloves, and carrying a firearm—she believes the suspect was prepared. It is estimated the thief stole about 140 baht of gold jewelry, all in ornamental form.
Ms. Oh, 53, an employee present during the event, said the shop usually closes around 8:00 p.m., but that night had many customers, leading to a later closing. After closing, they still needed to clear accounts and check stock.
At about 11:30 p.m., while two employees were in front of the display case and Ms. Oh and another employee were inside securing gold in the safe, a suspect crawled into the shop and forced employees to put gold into bags.
Ms. Oh stated that she did not hear the suspect speaking as she was near the safe until she saw another employee run inside, realizing something was wrong. She later learned it was a robbery. She was very shocked as it was late and most nearby shops were closed, leaving only this gold shop open.
Later at 10:00 a.m., Pol. Lt. Gen. Nopasil Poolsawat, Commander of the Office of the National Police, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Witawat Chinkham, Commander of Metropolitan Police Division 5, called investigative teams from Division 5, the Metropolitan Police Bureau’s investigation division, and Phra Khanong Police Station to plan the manhunt for the suspect.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Witawat said that employees reported the shop had closed at 8:00 p.m., but at the time of the incident, they were counting remaining gold for the day. The front door was not fully closed, allowing the suspect to slip inside. The suspect poured oil in front of the shop and threatened to burn it if the gold was not handed over, also threatening employees with a firearm. Out of fear, employees complied.
The firearm is under examination to determine its type and whether it is real. The liquid poured inside is also being analyzed by forensic experts.
Additionally, information shows the suspect entered the mall around 10:00 p.m., wandering inside for about an hour before the robbery. Employees confirmed the door is sometimes left open this way, but police have not dismissed this issue and continue their investigation.
After the robbery, the suspect escaped on a motorcycle via the guardhouse near Soi Sukhumvit 50. Police are collecting data on the escape route and investigating whether the suspect is still in Bangkok. Current information suggests the suspect acted alone, but police remain cautious about this and are interviewing employees and other relevant persons. Four female employees were present during the incident.
The suspect’s identity and age remain unknown due to heavy disguise. Police confirm the suspect is Thai. The missing gold, initially reported as 149 baht, is under further verification and may total 179 baht. The stolen cash remains about 170,000 baht. On the night of the incident, only mall security staff were present; no security guards were stationed inside the gold shop.