CHONBURI – A man accused of robbing a gold shop at gunpoint in Chon Buri on Thursday morning has died after jumping from a six-storey condominium, in what police believe was a suicide attempt to avoid arrest.
The robbery happened at 9.30 am at a gold shop inside a department store in Ban Suan. Wearing a hat and mask, the man entered the shop pretending to be a customer. He pulled out a gun and forced staff to hand over two 10-baht gold necklaces and two 9-baht gold necklaces, totalling 38 baht or about 578 grammes, worth nearly 1.9 million baht.
After grabbing the gold, he fled, stuffing the jewellery into a bag. Police responded quickly, with a plainclothes officer nearby trying to catch the suspect. The officer was hurt during the struggle but managed to take the gun from the man.
Around two hours later, at 11.30 am, police and rescue teams were called to a condo in Donhualor after a man was found critically injured from a fall. The man, roughly 45 years old and carrying no ID, was given first aid and taken to Chonburi Hospital. A motorbike believed to belong to him was parked below.
By 3.30 pm, senior officers had reviewed CCTV and confirmed that the man who jumped was the same person involved in the robbery. He was a resident of Nong Ri in Muang district and had gone to the condo where he had lived about ten years earlier, after the theft. He later died at the hospital.
When police searched his home, they found several debt collection notices stored in a filing cabinet. Officers are confident that both incidents involve the same person. They continue to search for the stolen gold and are speaking with the man’s relatives to help recover the missing jewellery so it can be returned to the shop.
Gold shop robberies in Thailand have been a recurring issue, often driven by high gold prices and economic pressures. Gold prices reaching 52,000 baht per baht-weight in 2025 have made gold shops lucrative targets. Economic uncertainty and inflation further incentivise such crimes.
Gold shops in malls and arcades are increasingly targeted due to open layouts, multiple entry/exit points, and inadequate security compared to standalone stores. Robbers often use firearms, toy guns, hammers, or disguises (e.g., delivery rider or Grab uniforms) to gain access or intimidate staff. Many escape on motorcycles or vehicles, complicating police pursuits.
