Thai man robbed of Bt5.2m luxury wristwatch
Police are searching for a daring robber after a Thai man was robbed of a Bt5.2 million luxury wristwatch at a Bangkok hotel early on Friday.
Deputy national police spokesman Colonel Krissana Pattanacharoen said National police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda had instructed officers to solve this case as soon as possible.
They described the thief as being in his 20s or early 30s, 175cm or 180cm-tall, with a fair-complexion.
Songkhla-based businessman Naset Taveepisitkul, 35, said he was robbed at gunpoint of a Richard Mille RM011-03TI chronograph watch that he posted online for sale.
A potential customer contacted him via Facebook chat, using an account that was later found to be fake, and they agreed to meet in Bangkok to allow the customer to inspect the goods and negotiate a price.
The appointment was set for 9pm on Thursday at The Quarter Hotel in the Chatuchak district initially and was then postponed to 1.30am on Friday.
However, a few minutes into the meeting at the hotel lobby, the man pulled out a pistol to threaten Naset, grabbed the watch and ran outside.
Naset ran after the robber, who fired the gun once into the sky as he fled and twice at Naset who fell down.
The robber ran into Soi Latphrao 4 where a red-black Honda Wave motorcycle was waiting for him, and fled.
Naset urged luxury watch buyers and shops to look out for the expensive watch with series number 055 and alert police.