Cops arrest 2 suspects over gold robbery

Cops arrest 2 suspects over gold robbery

Police yesterday arrested two suspects allegedly linked to the robbery of 14kg of gold ornaments worth more than 20 million baht from a gold company pickup truck in Pathum Thani.

The suspects were identified as Somphong Khamson, 25, from Saraburi, and Suriyachan Thaithanu, a 30-year-old worker at Shining Gold Co.

Mr Somphong was apprehended at his house in Khlong Luang district after Mr Suriyachan allegedly confessed to police that he colluded with Mr Somphong to steal the gold from the company's pickup.

Police said they found gold hidden in an oil tank at the house.

They confiscated it, and a Honda motorcycle that bore no licence plate.

Mr Suriyachan said he accompanied Korakot Changdecha, the pickup driver, to deliver the ornaments to a shop on Yaowarat Road. But he said Mr Korakot was not involved in the robbery.

Somsak Tantachon, the owner of Shining Gold Co, said Mr Suriyachan had been working for the company for three months at the time of the robbrerty.

Lam Luk Ka police station was alerted to the robbery near Wat Ketprapha in tambon Bueng Kham Phroi early yesterday.

Police rushed to the scene and found the company pickup pulled over on the side of a road with a bullet lodged in its right front tyre.

Two bags, each with 7kg of gold ornaments inside, were stolen while another was left in the back seat.

The total value of the stolen ornaments came to more than 20 million baht.

Mr Korakot told police that while he was driving along a soi near Wat Ketprapha, a shortcut to a motorway, a man in black long-sleeved shirt riding a Honda motorcycle without a licence plate, suddenly opened fire on the pickup truck.

The shooting frightened him and Mr Suriyachan.

He said the pair climbed out of the pickup and ran away.

Once they were certain the robber had escaped, they returned to the car and found two bags containing the gold ornaments had disappeared, Mr Korakot said.

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