Thai Police Hunting Malaysian Man for Bold RM900,000 Gold Shop Robbery in Hat Yai
According to The Bangkok Post, the robbery occurred at the Thai Udom 2 gold shop on Montri Road at around 11.55am on 8 April. The suspect, described as calm and unmasked, entered the premises armed, forced staff to flee, and helped himself to a large amount of gold jewellery from display cases.
RM900,000 Worth of Gold Taken
The man managed to steal approximately 138 baht-weight of gold jewellery, estimated to be worth around 7 million baht (approximately RM900,000).
He exited the shop with the stolen goods tucked into a shopping bag, fleeing the scene on a motorcycle. Authorities later discovered the motorcycle abandoned just 300 metres away, suggesting a well-planned escape.
Suspect Identified as 61-Year-Old Malaysian
Investigators from Provincial Police Region 9 identified the suspect as Yee Boon Long, a 61-year-old Malaysian national. He is now wanted for armed robbery and illegal possession of a firearm in public.
According to police reports, Yee also uses a Thai alias: Anucha Sae Yor.
Not His First Offence
Authorities revealed that Yee has a criminal history in Thailand. On 6 January 2017, he was involved in a similar gold shop robbery in Hat Yai. He was subsequently imprisoned, then released and deported back to Malaysia on 22 September 2023.
Further investigations link him to a massive gold heist in Malaysia nearly 20 years ago, where he reportedly escaped with gold worth around 50 million baht (approx. RM6.4 million today) and fled to Thailand.
Reward Offered for Information
The Royal Thai Police are now offering a 100,000 baht reward (around RM12,980) for any credible information leading to Yee’s arrest.
Police believe that the suspect is still hiding somewhere in southern Thailand and have intensified their manhunt in the surrounding areas.
Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to contact local authorities immediately.
Source : Assawin Pakkawan/The Bangkok Post
