Woman Robbed of Gold and Cash Worth 300,000 Baht in Hospital

On July 16, 2026, a 63-year-old woman named Sompoang from Khon Kaen province filed a complaint after a thief stole her shoulder bag while she was receiving treatment inside a hospital ward. The bag contained gold jewelry, a silver-framed amulet, cash, and a mobile phone totaling over 300,000 baht in value. The victim explained that she suffers from asthma and high blood pressure and was admitted after experiencing severe breathing difficulty. While her husband rested on the ward balcony, she placed her bag on a metal cabinet beside her bed, took medication, and fell asleep. When she woke to staff cleaning the room, the bag had vanished.

Security footage captured a thin man, approximately 170 centimeters tall and aged 40-50, surveying patient beds before taking the victim's bag and fleeing. Investigators later discovered the bag abandoned in a hospital drainage channel near Mittraphap Road, with the mobile phone still inside, but all gold and cash had been removed and returned the recovered items to the victim. Police Lieutenant Colonel Peerapat Ngamlertratanchai, commander of Khao Suan Kwang Police Station, confirmed that officers have questioned hospital staff whose shoes resembled those of the suspect but found no evidence. The investigation also revealed similar incidents at hospitals in Udon Thani and Ubon Ratchathani provinces in February, with the perpetrator showing comparable appearance and behavior, though police have not yet confirmed if it is the same individual. Authorities believe the suspect may be traveling between provinces using public transport and are coordinating with regional and provincial police to accelerate apprehension and prosecution. Police urge hospital patients with valuable items to inform staff for safekeeping.