Man arrested over armed holdup of San Sai gold shop

San Sai Police have arrested a man in relation to an armed holdup at gold shop in San Sai Dec. 20.

The accused, Mr. Jirawat Thanawatkulsiri, 31 from Surin Province is alleged to have used a gun to hold up the OE Gold Shop in San Sai Noi, fleeing the scene with a single gold necklace.

Using CCTV footage, police tracked Mr. Thanawatkulsiri to a hotel in Si Phum where they arrested him yesterday, Dec. 22. Found in his possession was a 22 mm pistol with nine 22mm bullets, a portable leather gun holster and the clothes the accused wore during the armed holdup. In addition, police also found three “famous brand watches” and bizarrely three designer zippo lighters in his hotel room.

The necklace was long gone with Mr. Thanawatkulsiri confessing to having sold it at a gold shop in Tesco Lotus San Sai for 39,700 baht.

Police said that Mr. Thanawatkulsiri has a long history of theft and had only been released from prison in Bangkok two months before the holdup.

As is tradition, Mr. Thanawatkulsiri was taken to the scene of his crime for a recreation today, Dec. 23 complete with lots of pointing – see video below.

He’s been remanded in custody pending a court hearing.

Photo: Chiang Mai News.