Nonthaburi — A suspect who snatched a 10-baht gold necklace at a mall in Ngamwongwan was quickly cornered and apprehended by security guards. He claimed he needed money to pay for his mother's stage 3 cancer treatment.
At 18:45 on 20 July 2026, officers from Rattanathibet Police Station in Nonthaburi received a report from a mall in Ngamwongwan of a suspect committing a gold snatching on the first floor in Bang Khen Subdistrict, Mueang Nonthaburi District. The mall’s security guards managed to detain the suspect. Police promptly went to investigate.
At the scene, mall security controlled the suspect, identified as Mr. Pongkorn Phumchan, 30, from Chaiyaphum Province. The evidence, a 10-baht gold necklace broken into two pieces, was recovered. He was taken in for questioning.
CCTV footage captured Mr. Pongkorn (wearing a black shirt and carrying a bag) grabbing the necklace from the gold shop and fleeing toward the mall’s rear exit, followed by a gold shop employee (wearing a blue shirt). Security personnel then caught and detained him promptly.
During interrogation, Mr. Pongkorn confessed he had taken a bus from Chaiyaphum since 10 a.m., arriving at Mo Chit Bus Terminal around 3 p.m. He then took a taxi to the mall to sell amulets. After a collector declined to buy, he went down to the first floor to return home. Passing the gold shop, he decided to ask to see a 10-baht gold necklace. When the employee was distracted, he snatched the necklace and ran but was caught. He said he committed the crime to raise 700,000 to 800,000 baht to treat his mother, who has stage 3 cancer. He admitted his wrongdoing.
Ms. Kanchalee, 36, a gold shop employee, said the suspect asked to see a 10-baht gold necklace, which she handed over but kept holding because he seemed suspicious. When he asked to see another necklace, she held both pieces but told him he could only look briefly. He then suddenly snatched it, breaking the necklace in two and injuring her hand with the broken gold.
Mr. Prawit Saentawee, 52, a mall security guard, said he was stationed at the back parking lot exit when he heard a commotion. The suspect ran past where he was standing, so he blocked and detained him until the gold shop employee arrived.
After police interrogation, the suspect was charged with theft by snatching and handed over to investigators at Rattanathibet Police Station, Nonthaburi Province, for prosecution.