Nine shops robbed in bid to clear debts
Mechanic Nantawut Promjai, 30, re-enacts his robbery of a 7-Eleven store on Phetchaburi road yesterday. He confessed to robbing nine convenience stores since last Friday. |
A man was arrested yesterday and charged with staging nine back-to-back robberies at a string of 7-Eleven convenience stores.
A civilian alerted police after he spotted a man matching the robber's description on Phatthanakan road.
The suspect was wearing a black cap, a long-sleeved white shirt and a pair of black jeans and riding a blue motorcycle.
Nantawut Promjai, 30, a mechanic employed by an air-conditioner and refrigerator repair shop in the Vacharapol area, lives alone. His wife is away in Nakhon Si Thammarat, studying for a master's degree.
He admitted to robbing nine convenience store outlets within days, claiming he needed the money to clear debts, police said.
"I knew from the news that police were looking for me, but I was left with no choice. The debt collectors were phoning me several times a day," he said.
"I also needed money to fund my mother's farming business, support my wife's studies, and repay my mother-in-law for her gold, which I sold to raise cash to open a Jatukarm talisman booth, an investment which later turned sour."
He first robbed two 7-Eleven stores on Friday, grabbing about 2,000 baht from each outlet. Although he was caught on the store's security camera, police could not positively identify him as the footage was too grainy.
He found the outlets an easy target because the stores are open round-the-clock.
Police said he entered one store in Soi Pridi Banomyong 13 on Sukhumvit 71 around 2am, pretending to buy a pack of instant noodles.
When a cashier opened a cash registry, he drew a gun and cleared 1,200 baht from the till before fleeing with the loot on a motorcycle.
He used a toy gun during the hold-ups, police said.
An hour later, he struck again and robbed a store near Petcharavej Hospital on Phetchaburi road.
He got away with 1,150 baht this time, but not after making the mistake of showing his motorbike's license plate.
Police were alerted at about 4am that a suspect had been spotted riding a motorbike with that plate number.
Two police patrol cars were ordered to go after him.
When the suspect refused to stop for a search as demanded, the police vehicles forced him off the road.
After losing his balance, the man fell from his motorcycle and hit his head against a roadside post.
He was detained at the Criminal Court after re-enacting the crime at the store which he robbed near the hospital yesterday.
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