Deputy Commissioner of Police Region 4 led a press briefing on the arrest of a former broker and noodle seller overwhelmed by debt who decided to become a solo robber, stealing 26 baht of gold. He confessed after the crime, staying home to follow police work via social media. Authorities are urgently searching for 5 baht of the seized gold that remains missing.
At 11:00 on 21 Feb 2026 at the Operations Center of the Investigation Division, Police Region 4, Pol. Maj. Gen. Nopkao Somanat, Deputy Commissioner of Police Region 4, Pol. Maj. Gen. Phumipat Patrasriwongchai, Chief of Investigation Division Region 4, Pol. Col. Preecha Kengsarikij, Deputy Chief of Khon Kaen Provincial Police, and Pol. Col. Phakphoom Decharuangsil, Chief of Ban Ped Police Station, jointly held a press conference announcing the arrest of Mr. Chonlatip (Kae) Sarakham, 47, from Khon Kaen Province, on charges of robbery by using a vehicle to commit the offense or to escape arrest. Evidence includes a 1-meter-long wooden plank, a 1-meter-long shark-mouth-shaped steel box, and nine gold necklaces totaling 21 baht.
Prior to the arrest, on 15 Feb 2026, a male suspect robbed 11 pieces of gold jewelry weighing a total of 26 baht, valued at 1.9 million baht, from Bangkok Yaowarat Gold Shop in Moo 12, Ban Thum Subdistrict, Mueang Khon Kaen District. The suspect fled and remained at large. Police from Region 4, Khon Kaen Provincial Police, and Ban Ped Police Station continuously investigated the case and offered a 100,000 baht reward for information leading to the arrest.
Police investigation found the suspect parked a gray Honda Wave motorcycle without a license plate inside an alley about 20 meters from the gold shop. After the robbery, the suspect fled on this motorcycle. Police checked the suspected escape routes and found the suspect refueling with 40 baht worth of fuel at a gas station along Leh Na Dee Road. At the station, police noted the motorcycle bore a yellow sticker labeled "VIP" on the rear.
Police believe the suspect is a local resident living near the gold shop. Investigators spread out across villages and communities and found clues in the rubber plantation area of Ban Pasang, Don Chang Subdistrict, Mueang Khon Kaen. They monitored movements of anyone riding the motorcycle matching the suspect’s and showed the motorcycle's distinctive features to local residents in Don Chang Subdistrict. A resident identified the bike as belonging to Mr. Kae, 47, a noodle seller who operates a stall along Leh Na Dee Road.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Nopkao Somanat added that after learning these details, police began monitoring Mr. Kae’s behavior. They observed him leaving his home in Lao Phon Thong village to go to a plantation in Ban Pasang. On the evening of 20 Feb 2026, Mr. Kae rode a sidecar motorcycle from home to sell noodles. Police then confronted him, showing images and video clips of the robbery at the gold shop on 15 Feb and footage of the suspect refueling and fleeing on a motorcycle. Mr. Kae turned pale and confessed to committing the robbery. He was taken for interrogation at the Investigation Division Region 4.
During interrogation, Mr. Kae stated he previously had a wife and child and worked together as a land broker, living comfortably but carrying debt. Later, his wife faced legal troubles and left, leaving him to raise their child and handle debts alone. Overwhelmed by financial problems and unable to keep up with payments, he planned the gold robbery to sell the gold and pay off debts. He bought a used blue Honda Wave motorcycle without registration for 5,000 baht from a repair shop, painted it blonde gray, and prepared a 2-meter-long steel box shaped like a shark’s mouth to grab gold inside the shop. He also prepared a wooden plank to block the automatic door, which closes and locks during emergencies, after observing that many gold shops have such doors.
The suspect admitted he thoughtfully studied news reports of gold robberies to ensure he would survive and avoid main roads where CCTV is common. He planned to flee using secondary roads, dirt paths, and through villagers’ rubber plantations connecting Ban Pasang and Lao Phon Thong villages.
After careful consideration, on 14 Feb 2026, he scouted the gold shop on a motorcycle but did not proceed due to inconvenience. He attempted to rob other shops but found them unsuitable and returned home. On 15 Feb 2026, he executed the robbery at the gold shop as planned, successfully blocking the door with the wooden plank so it could not close, allowing him to escape safely.
After stealing the gold, he placed it in a white bag and rode his motorcycle through villagers’ rubber plantations in Don Chang Subdistrict until dusk, then returned home. He threaded the gold together with wire and hid it inside a square steel post supporting his house balcony. He then disposed of the motorcycle used in the robbery by throwing it into a pond in Nong Tao village, about 2 km from Lao Phon Thong, and burned the clothes and helmet he wore during the crime in the plantation at Ban Pasang. Afterwards, he stayed home and did not sell noodles.
While staying home, he followed news reports about the police investigation and the manhunt continuously, learning about police movements. Feeling pressured and afraid to sell the gold, he waited until the case quieted down, then reopened his noodle shop. This is when police arrested him.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Region 4 added that Mr. Kae admitted he committed the robbery because he saw no other solution to his long-standing debt problems and needed money to support his child’s education, which strained his family. He believed he could get away with it by hiding the gold, thinking police would not catch him, and planned to gradually sell the gold to repay debts. However, police from Region 4, Khon Kaen Provincial Police, and the Crime Suppression Division coordinated the investigation and arrested him.
Regarding the incident, there were no knives or guns used to threaten staff; the suspect only pretended to be armed. Police invited the shop owner to verify the stolen gold, confirming it belonged to the shop due to the shop’s and manufacturer’s embossed marks. The suspect stole 11 pieces weighing 26 baht but police recovered only nine pieces totaling 21 baht. The missing gold pieces weigh 3 baht and 2 baht each. Ban Ped Police Station was assigned to investigate the missing gold to determine if it was sold or hidden. Currently, Mr. Kae is detained and handed over to Ban Ped Police Station for legal proceedings.