A woman under severe stress, unable to pay her room rent, decided to steal gold at a famous mall in Nakhon Nayok province. Good Samaritans and a security guard joined forces to apprehend her immediately. Meanwhile, the Nakhon Nayok Police Chief personally led the team to take her into custody.
At 13:30 on 26 Mar 2016, Pol. Maj. Gen. Prasert Wijitthatsana, Chief of Nakhon Nayok Provincial Police, together with Pol. Col. Paophakorn Ramnuch, Deputy Chief of Nakhon Nayok Police, Pol. Col. Theerapat Bandito Hiruncho, Chief of the Provincial Investigation Unit, and Pol. Col. Sanga Thangtham, Chief of Mueang Nakhon Nayok Police Station, led investigators to examine the scene inside a department store in Mueang Nakhon Nayok district after a dramatic incident where a suspect snatched a gold necklace amid shoppers. However, the suspect was caught immediately by good Samaritans and the mall’s security guards who worked together to detain her before police took over.
Investigations identified the suspect as Ms. Sirinya, 26. Before the incident, she pretended to browse gold jewelry at a store selling gold ornaments, asking to try on a 2-salung (7.58 grams) gold necklace valued at 36,500 baht. She lingered long enough to lower the staff’s guard, then seized the moment to flee the shop swiftly. At that moment, brave good Samaritans and mall security guards courageously intervened, apprehending her with the stolen necklace before police arrived to take her for questioning.
Ms. Sirinya tearfully confessed that she currently works as a contract employee at a hospital but has faced severe financial difficulties, falling behind on her dormitory rent in Ongkharak district. Overwhelmed by stress and lacking options, she decided to commit the theft in hopes of selling the gold to pay her overdue rent.
After completing the scene investigation and suspect interrogation, Pol. Maj. Gen. Prasert Wijitthatsana, Chief of Nakhon Nayok Provincial Police, personally visited and advised other gold shops within the mall on preventive measures to avoid similar incidents. He urged increased vigilance and close observation of customer behavior, noting that current economic conditions might encourage criminal acts more easily.
“I want to commend the composure and bravery of the good Samaritans and security staff who promptly stopped the suspect. Their cooperation was outstanding. I have ordered police to intensify patrols to ensure public safety,” said Pol. Maj. Gen. Prasert Wijitthatsana, Chief of Nakhon Nayok Provincial Police.
Initially, police have taken the suspect and the recovered gold into custody and handed her over to the Mueang Nakhon Nayok Police Station for legal proceedings on charges of robbery.