Bolikhamxay police arrested a thief six days after he robbed two gold shops last week in the province’s Khamkeut district.
He was identified as 23-year-old Mr. Jittakone Solattanavong who is a resident of Khamkeut district’s Phonexay village.
Local police apprehended the 23-year-old about a week after he broke into a gold shop in Khamkeut district and stole 10 silver necklaces, 7 silver bracelets, 20 silver rings, and some cash. He then robbed another gold shop nearby.
Mr. Jittakone took the stolen items to a gold shop in Vientiane Capital to extract gold from silver. However, the shop owner became suspicious of him and called the police, resulting in his arrest.
Mr. Jittakone admitted to the police during the interrogation that he had committed four robberies this year. He also stated that he would keep an eye on his intended victim for a day before finding a way to break into their property.
According to Mr. Jittakone, the first two crimes occurred in mid-2022, when he robbed a jewelry store and a gold shop in Bolikhamxay. The 23-year-old went on to say that he broke into the places through the ceilings and grabbed a large amount of jewelry, accessories, and cash.
After robbing the two locations, he sold what he had stolen to a gold shop in Vientiane Capital, where he got LAK 28 Million (USD 1616.66) in return and he promptly spent the entire amount.
Mr. Jittakone added that he made his third robbery attempt last month at another gold shop in Khamkeut district. He entered through an air vent and gained access to the shop’s premises where he stole various types of jewelry and cash worth LAK 25 million.
He then melted all of the gold into a single lump and sold it to the same gold shop in the capital for LAK 26 million (USD 1,500).
The police have not yet released any statements regarding the punishment Mr. Jittakone will receive for his crimes.
Earlier this week, Vientiane Capital police announced the arrest of one of the two criminals who robbed two girls at gun point back in September in the capital and fled to another province before getting nabbed later.
