Pattaya — Police have arrested a female suspect accused of defrauding pawn shops out of more than 5.5 million baht by pledging counterfeit gold bracelets, executing an arrest warrant issued by the Pattaya Provincial Court.
The arrest follows a sustained investigation into an orchestrated scam targeting gold traders and pawn operators across Chonburi and surrounding provinces. According to investigators, the suspect systematically presented high-grade imitation gold jewelry designed to pass visual inspections and basic authenticity checks, securing massive cash loans before the fraud was detected.
Modus Operandi and Multi-Million Baht Loss
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Sophisticated Counterfeits: The suspect allegedly pawned multiple gold bracelets that were heavily weighted and coated to mimic pure gold. The counterfeit items eluded initial screening, allowing her to pocket approximately 5.5 million baht across repeated transactions.
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Discovery by Shop Operators: The deception was uncovered only after pawnshop staff conducted rigorous secondary melt-and-density testing, revealing that the inner cores of the bracelets consisted of base metals rather than genuine gold.
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Court Warrant and Capture: Following formal complaints lodged by victimized business owners, investigators compiled evidence leading the Pattaya Provincial Court to issue an arrest warrant. Tracking teams subsequently located and apprehended the woman.
The suspect was taken into custody and transferred to investigating officers to face formal charges, including fraud and deception. Authorities are expanding their investigation to determine whether she acted alone or as part of a wider counterfeit syndication supplying fake precious metals to pawn businesses nationwide.
