Bang Yai City: A fried chicken vendor was apprehended 100 kilometers away after allegedly stealing a 6 baht gold necklace from a gold shop located in the bustling Bang Yai City Market. The vendor confessed to authorities that overwhelming debt exceeding 100,000 baht to the informal sector, coupled with declining sales of his fried chicken, drove him to commit the theft.
According to Thai News Agency, CCTV footage captured the incident at 8:54 p.m., depicting a large man in a gray T-shirt, shorts, and blue rubber gloves, initially appearing as a customer at the gold shop in Bang Yai District, Nonthaburi Province. The vendor engaged employees in conversation, expressing interest in two gold necklaces, each valued at 3 baht, totaling 6 baht. Pretending to try on the necklaces, he deceived the employees into believing his girlfriend was arriving, prompting them to open the door for him. He then swiftly fled the scene, having spent approximately 50 minutes in the shop.
Following the theft, officers from Bang Yai
Police Station investigated the gold shop within Bang Yai City Market. A salesperson, still recovering from shock, recounted the sequence of events. The vendor initially visited the shop at around 6:00 p.m., inquiring about gold prices and feigning interest in purchasing before leaving with a promise to return. He reappeared around 7:00 p.m. to execute the theft. The police examined CCTV footage of the escape route, identifying the vendor fleeing on a motorcycle with a sidecar along Kanchanaphisek Road.
Police swiftly located and arrested 41-year-old Mr. Thawatchai at a residence in the Bang Mae Nang area, recovering the two stolen necklaces valued at 255,300 baht, along with the sidecar motorcycle used in the escape. During interrogation, Mr. Thawatchai admitted to his occupation as a fried chicken vendor and explained his financial desperation due to substantial debt and poor sales. His attempts to secure a loan through legal channels were unsuccessful, leading him to the unplanned theft. Authorities initi
ally charged him with theft.