Philippine man accused of stealing a 250,000-baht diamond necklace in Bangkok and fleeing the country was apprehended at Suvarnabhumi Airport on his return, five months after the crime.
Rolly Sabalza, 49, was arrested by officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) on Thursday, according to Pol Maj Gen Theeradet Thumsuthee, the MPB’s investigative commander. Sabalza had been sought on a warrant issued by the Bangkok South Criminal Court for theft by false pretenses.
The theft occurred on March 25 at a store in a shopping mall in the Pathumwan area of Bangkok. The incident was captured by security cameras, Pol Maj Gen Theeradet said. Sabalza left Thailand on the same day as the theft. Investigators monitoring his activities discovered he planned to return to Thailand on Thursday morning with the intent to commit another crime. Upon his arrival at the airport, he was taken into custody.
Sabalza reportedly admitted to being the individual seen in the CCTV footage from the jewelry store.
Pol Maj Gen Theeradet urged gold and jewelry shop operators and staff to be more vigilant when dealing with well-dressed individuals who may pose as customers, as they could be criminals. He recommended that staff request ID cards or passports from customers wishing to view expensive items and advised installing high-resolution CCTV cameras and alarms that staff can use to alert nearby police stations.
