PATTAYA — Tourist Police have successfully apprehended a suspect who allegedly pawned counterfeit gold at multiple pawn shops across the city.
The arrest took place on December 25 when officers detained Mr. Huanyou, a 29-year-old Chinese national, on Pattaya Third Road in Nongprue subdistrict, Banglamung district, Chonburi province.
During the arrest, police recovered evidence including a gold bracelet weighing 52.8 grams (approximately 3.5 baht weight), a pawn ticket from a Pattaya pawn shop dated December 25, and 80,000 Thai baht in cash. The suspect reportedly collapsed upon arrest and needed assistance to stand.
The case came to light after several pawn shop operators in Pattaya and surrounding areas filed complaints with the police, reporting that a foreign national had pawned what appeared to be genuine gold jewelry. However, subsequent testing revealed the items to be counterfeit, with the perpetrator having fled before the forgery was discovered.
Lieutenant General Saksira Phuek-am, commander of the Tourist Police Bureau, ordered an investigative team to track down the suspect. Investigators discovered that the suspect had pawned a counterfeit gold bracelet weighing 3.5 baht at a prominent Pattaya pawn shop.
They set up surveillance and arrested the suspect as he was leaving the premises, recovering both the pawn ticket and cash obtained from the fraudulent transaction.
Mr. Huanyou was transferred to Pattaya City Police Station, where he was charged with fraud. He has reportedly confessed to the crime, which carries a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment, a fine of up to 60,000 baht, or both. Police are currently investigating to determine the total number of pawn shops targeted in this scheme.
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