A Japanese man was arrested yesterday for allegedly snatching 65 baht-weight of gold (975 grammes) worth about 2 million baht while trading with a victim in a gold shop in Bangkok's Phra Nakhon district.
Shori Yamashita, 32, was arrested at 12.45am while strolling along Siri Phong Road in Phra Nakhon district.
An investigation was jointly carried out by investigators from Phra Ratchawang police station, Investigation Sub-division of Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB)'s Division 6 and Immigration Bureau's Division 1.
Pol Lt Gen Samran Nuanma, commissioner of MPB, said the theft occurred on Monday at 1.51pm at Petch Suay jewellery shop in the Old Siam Shopping Plaza on Burapha Road.
The suspect had an appointment with the victim in the store to certify the victim's gold bars. Right after the store issued three certificates confirming the authenticity of the gold, Mr Yamashita snatched all of the gold bars along with the certificates and ran away. The victim filed the complaint with Phra Ratchawang police station.
While searching the suspect, Pol Lt Gen Samran said police found the certificates inside his black shoulder bag.
Police later searched the suspect's room at The Reserve Condominium in Soi Sukhumvit 61 in Watthana district, and found all of the victim's stolen gold bars along with clothes that Mr Yamashita wore to visit the store.
Pol Lt Gen Samran said the suspect admitted his guilt and told police that he and the victim were business partners. He said they bought the gold from Laos to be processed and sold in Thailand.
An investigation indicated the case may involve more accomplices and the suspect may be associated with the Yakuza in Japan, said the police.
The suspect initially faced a stolen property-related charge and was taken to Phra Ratchawang police station for legal proceedings, he added.