Dramatic Gold Shop Robbery: Thief Uses Metal Pipe to Threaten Staff and Steal Gold Chains Worth Nearly 2 Million Baht

Police are urgently pursuing a male suspect who used a metal pipe as a weapon to rob a gold shop, threatening staff and smashing a display case to steal gold chains weighing 26 baht. The incident occurred at 2:15 PM on February 15, 2026, at the Bangkok Yaowaraj Gold Shop in Ban Thum Subdistrict, Khon Kaen Province. The suspect, described as a man wearing a long-sleeved black shirt and long jeans, initially appeared like a delivery worker. He entered the shop, spoke in the Isaan dialect saying, 'Give me the gold or I'll shoot,' then used the metal pipe to break the glass case and steal gold chains. Investigators found the suspect stole 9 gold necklaces weighing 2 baht, 1 necklace weighing 3 baht, and 1 necklace weighing 5 baht, totaling 26 baht and valued at nearly 1.9 million baht. The suspect fled on a black-and-silver Honda Wave motorcycle without license plates, heading towards Ban Wa Subdistrict. Provincial police commander Major General Anuwat Suwannapoom inspected the scene and ordered checkpoints, noting the suspect likely planned the robbery carefully by using secondary roads through various villages to escape.