Chonburi Police Hunt Burglars After Luxury Watch Heist in Chinese’s Home

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The damaged safe with its door pried open, found empty of luxury watches as reported by the Chinese homeowner, on January 16, 2025.

CHONBURIThieves broke into a Chinese businessman’s luxury home in Chonburi, making off with high-end watches valued at over 100 million baht (approximately $2.9 million). The incident occurred in Huay Yai subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chonburi province on Wednesday night.

Police spent January 16 investigating the break-in at the two-story house, valued at around 8 million baht. The perpetrators forced entry through a rear window and targeted a large safe measuring 1 meter wide and 1.5 meters tall on the second floor. Investigators found eight empty watch boxes scattered around the premises, with all timepieces missing.

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The residence of Mr. Liang Chen, 39, a Chinese businessman, located in a gated community in Huay Yai sub-district, Bang Lamung district, Chonburi province, where numerous wealthy Chinese nationals own luxury homes.

The homeowner, identified as Liangchen, 39, is a Chinese tour company executive currently unable to return to Thailand due to ongoing legal proceedings in China. Mr. Youchao, 43, a friend watching over the property, discovered the break-in after returning from a six-hour absence on January 15. He found the safe severely damaged and all valuable contents removed.

Mr. Somboon, 56, a business partner of the homeowner, confirmed that the stolen items were primarily luxury brand watches. Local security personnel noted that the residential complex, popular among Chinese nationals, features homes valued from 7 to 10 million baht. The thieves may have accessed the property through the largely forested area behind the house.

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Forensic officers examine scattered items in the safe room of a luxury home in an upscale gated community in Huay Yai sub-district, Bang Lamung district, Chonburi province on January 16, 2025.

Huay Yai Police are reviewing security camera footage and conducting further interviews to track down the perpetrators. They are also working with the homeowner in China to confirm the exact inventory of stolen items.

The security guard of the gated community stated that many Chinese residents live in this estate. He doesn’t know how the thieves entered, but they might have climbed over the wall from the back of the property, which is mostly surrounded by forest.

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