Cop's 'debt woes' led to gold theft

Cop's 'debt woes' led to gold theft

CCTV released by police after review shows the armed robber reaching through the security grille of the Jiraporn gold shop last Wednesday in Thung Yai district of Nakhon Si Thammarat.
CCTV released by police after review shows the armed robber reaching through the security grille of the Jiraporn gold shop last Wednesday in Thung Yai district of Nakhon Si Thammarat.

A police lieutenant attached to Nong Chik police station in Pattani province has been arrested for allegedly robbing a gold shop in Thung Yai district of Nakhon Si Thammarat province on Wednesday.

The suspect was identified as Pol Lt Meechai Chosom, 37, a deputy chief of investigation of Nong Chik police station, said Pol Maj Gen Wanchai Ekpornpich, chief of the Nakhon Si Thammarat provincical police.

He said the suspect was being detained at Nong Chik station and was to be transferred to the Thung Yai police station for questioning later Sunday.

On Wednesday, a robber took only about a minute to rob the Jiraporn gold shop in Thung Yai district and make off with 20 baht (in gold units) of gold, worth about 400,000 baht. Police said he stood outside the metal security grille and forced the saleswoman at gunpoint to bring the ornaments to him. He fled on a motorcycle.

Pol Col Thamaphong Phetphirun, chief of Nong Chik police, said he would next ask the Pattani provincial police chief to consider suspending Pol Lt Meechai from work while he is facing a criminal investigation.

He insisted he was not aware of his subordinate's activity until he was contacted by Thung Yai police, who sought his cooperation to arrest Pol Lt Meechai in connection with the gold shop robbery.

Pol Lt Meechai previously had demonstrated good work performance. He was a man of few words yet with a good personality and discipline, said Pol Col Thamaphong, adding debt problems were believed to be behind the crime.

Pol Col Krisana Pattanacharoen, deputy spokesman for the Royal Thai Police, said an investigation is under way to find out if the suspect used weapons stolen from the station in the robbery, whether he should be dismissed if proven guilty, and if his superior turned a blind eye.

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