Gold shop safety measures expanded

New guidelines aim to reduce theft risk and enhance store security, writes Wassayos Ngamkham

- Wassayos Ngamkham

An officer from Samrong Nuea police station in Samut Prakan patrols a local gold shop to prevent robberies, keeping an eye on suspicious customers and advising shop owners to install alarms and limit gold displays. SOMCHAI POOMLARD

(SOMCHAI POOMLARD)

As gold prices reach record highs due to the war in the Middle East, police are stepping up efforts to prevent robberies targeting gold shops in Bangkok and other major cities.

Although authorities have arrested suspects in many previous cases, their primary goal is to prevent crimes from happening in the first place. With gold becoming increasingly valuable, jewellery stores have become attractive targets for criminals.

The Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) invited gold shop owners to discuss ways to improve security, with the Office of the Insurance Commission (OIC) acting as a mediator to ensure all attempts to solve the problem are going in the same direction.

MPB commissioner Pol Lt Gen Siam Boonsom said security measures for gold shops already exist nationwide because of the high value of gold. However, the recent surge in prices has prompted police to strengthen preventive strategies.

Pol Lt Gen Siam said criminals often conduct surveillance before committing a robbery.

They observe potential targets, paying close attention to the store's layout, security measures and operating hours. If they see strong protective systems in place, they are more likely to abandon the target and search for another shop with weaker security.