Theft Victim Demands Expanded Investigation After Paying 450,000 Baht to Recover Stolen Items
A theft victim who paid 450,000 baht to recover her stolen gold and jewelry is demanding police expand their investigation beyond the single suspect charged, citing suspicious bank records and unrecovered items.
On September 4, 2026, at Bangkok Metropolitan Police headquarters, a theft victim accompanied by lawyer Kritsada Intamara filed a complaint with Police Lieutenant General Siam Bunsombat, the police commander, requesting an investigation review into a valuable property theft case. Gold ornaments and jewelry stolen since December 2025 were partially traced to pawn shops, with additional evidence emerging about the items being pawned and suspicious bank account records warranting expanded investigation.
The victim, referred to as Ms. A, stated that the stolen property belongs to her and argued the case should not be closed simply because the items were recovered. She emphasized it is unjust that she had to spend a large sum—approximately 450,000 baht—to redeem her own stolen property, calling it a compounding misfortune.
Lawyer Kritsada noted that bank records of the suspect show monthly cash flow sometimes exceeding one million baht. He questioned why, once the victim's property was located in a pawn shop, she had to use her own money to retrieve it, and whether police have pursued tracking the money or individuals who benefited from the crime. He demanded clarification on why the case was rushed to prosecution with only one defendant charged, without a comprehensive expanded investigation into other aspects, particularly when some property remains unrecovered and financial records indicate avenues requiring further scrutiny.
