A female employee at a gold shop in Samut Prakan has been caught stealing gold over several months to fund her online gambling habit.
The shop owner, 48 year old Chak Kamol Tantarasmee reported the theft to the police at Samrong Tai Police Station, armed with CCTV footage as evidence.
Chak noticed irregularities in his employee’s spending habits, which led him to investigate further. He reached out to his brother, who manages another branch of the shop, to check if any gold had been sold there. His brother confirmed multiple sales, prompting Chak to review the CCTV footage from his shop. The footage revealed the employee, 33 year old Jiraporn Puangmalai frequently stealing gold by hiding it in her sleeves.
Police gathered sufficient evidence and obtained an arrest warrant for Jiraporn on charges of embezzlement. She was apprehended at her residence in the Bang Ya Phraek community, Phra Pradaeng district, Samut Prakan. During interrogation, Jiraporn confessed to multiple thefts, estimating that she had stolen around 40 to 50 baht in weight of gold over six to seven months. She admitted to taking one to 3 baht of gold at a time, which she would then have acquaintances sell at the second branch of the gold shop.
“I couldn’t remember exactly how much I stole, but it was around 40 to 50 baht.”
Jiraporn explained that the stolen gold was sold immediately, and the money was then used to fund her online slot game addiction and cover household expenses.
Chak expressed his lack of sympathy for Jiraporn, stressing that her actions had significantly impacted his business. He plans to pursue legal action to the fullest extent.
“I noticed she was spending beyond her means, buying a lot of things for her child. That’s when I started suspecting her.”
After his brother confirmed the sales of gold at the other branch, Chak reviewed the CCTV footage, which clearly showed Jiraporn’s repeated thefts.
The investigation revealed that Jiraporn had become deeply addicted to online gambling, specifically slot games. This addiction drove her to continuously steal gold from her employer to sustain her gambling habit.
Chak remains resolute in his decision to press charges against Jiraporn, emphasising the need for justice. The stolen gold, valued at over 1 million baht, represents a significant loss for his business, and he is determined to see the legal process through to its conclusion, reported KhaoSod.
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