A day in hell for debt-ridden soldier in Udon Thani
A 23-year-old soldier in Udon Thani was caught on Monday red-handed as he was trying to sell off one of the two gold necklaces worth 127,400 baht that he had allegedly snatched.
Lance Corporal Rachan Khamrat reportedly snatched two gold necklaces from the Yaowarat 2 gold shop in Kumphawapi district and was caught a few hours later at the Yaowarat gold shop in Muang district trying to sell off his loot.
The suspect pleaded guilty, saying he stole the necklaces to pay off his debts.
Mintra Thadasupaporn, owner of the Yaowarat 2 gold shop, said she called the police and informed other local gold shop owners after the suspect dashed out of her shop wearing two necklaces.
As fate would have it, the suspect landed in a shop owned by Mintra’s younger sister, Weeraya Phusopha.
The younger sister immediately called her older sister after asking her husband to keep the suspect busy, and soon the police were on their way.
Kumphawapi Police Station superintendent Pol Colonel Pongphan Nakhwa said the suspect had to be engaged by Weeraya’s husband for nearly three hours before they had enough evidence to arrest him. He added the suspect faces burglary charges.
Police have also seized the soldier’s red-black Honda motorcycle, which he used to flee from the first shop, as well as his clothes and the loot to re-enact the crime.