Police are hunting for a masked armed robber who stole gold necklaces worth 1.1 million baht from a shop in a Big C mall in Hat Yai on Saturday afternoon before fleeing in a car driven by an accomplice.
The robbery occurred at about 3.30pm at the Yaowarat Bangkok gold shop on the second floor of the Big C Khlong Hae branch in Khlong Hae municipality of Hat Yai district, said police.
An initial police investigation found there were two men involved.
They arrived in a bronze Toyota Vios with no licence plates and parked in front of the mall. One man entered the gold shop, where four staff — one man and three women — were working at the time.
The robber, posing as a customer, asked to see a large gold necklace.
As a staffer was about to bring some necklaces, the man suddenly climbed over the counter and swept some necklaces from a tray. He held a pistol and threatened to shoot.
The robber quickly ran out from the mall. Security guards followed, but the robber pointed the gun to threaten them. He fled in the waiting car driven by his accomplice.
Police were examining security video to see if it could help identify the two robbers.
Video showed one robber, wearing a military camouflage trousers, black jacket, a camouflage cap, black glasses and a face mask, entering the mall alone.
About 45 baht-weight (682 grammes) of gold necklaces, worth about 1.1 million baht, had been stolen, said Pol Maj Gen Archan Chansiri, chief of Songkhla police.
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Police question a staffer of the gold shop at the Big C Khlong Hae mall in Hat Yai following a robbery on Saturday afternoon. (Photo: Assawin Pakkawan)
