SAMUT PRAKAN - A man who caused an accident by driving against the traffic was arrested inside a locked gold shop after an unsuccessful attempt to snatch a gold bracelet to pay for the accident damage.
The 26-year-old, identified only as Surasak from Buriram, was arrested inside the Yaowarat Bang Phli gold shop in Bang Phli district on Saturday evening after being trapped behind its locked doors.
He had allegedly attempted to flee the shop wearing a gold bracelet worth about 71,000 baht.
Pol Lt Col Pawat Ratanaporn, deputy chief of Bang Phli station, said the offender had recently caused a traffic accident by driving against the traffic flow. He could not afford to pay for the damage he caused.
On Saturday evening he visited a gold shop and picked out a gold bracelet. He asked repeatedly to try it on his wrist. The shopkeeper initially refused to let him do it.
Finally, after repeated requests, the vendor allowed him to put it on, while surreptitiously locking the shop's doors. Mr Surasak put the gold around his wrist and then allegedly tried to flee while wearing it - only to find the door was locked. Police were called to the shop.
Mr Surasak told police he had to pay about 200,000 baht in damages from his recent traffic accident, and in desperation had decided to steal from the gold shop.
He was charged with attempted theft.
