"Ghost Face" Robber Accidentally Traps Himself In Gold Shop While Attempting To Rob It
He wore the mask because he loved the movies and wanted to conceal his identity.
By Celine Low — 19 Mar 2025, 04:29 PM
A 21-year-old man's elaborate plan to rob a gold shop in a Chiang Mai shopping mall backfired after he trapped himself inside, dressed as the iconic "Ghost Face" from the popular Scream horror franchise
The young man, identified only as Aesara, had planned to take advantage of the mall's closing time to break into the Yaowarat gold shop in an attempt to rob it, reported The Nation Thailand.
Mae Ping police station reported that the suspect entered the mall at around 5pm on Monday, 17 March, hiding in a second-floor bathroom until around midnight. Then, he emerged from his hiding spot, wearing a black robe and the famous "Ghost Face" mask, carrying a back pack containing an air pump, crowbar, and a folding knife.
Aesara used the crowbar to pry open the lock on the retractable iron shutters of the gold shop and began his robbery.
However, the suspect was unable to commit the robbery as all gold was kept in the shop's safe, leaving not even a single necklace in sight
With his plan starting off on the wrong foot, Aesara also realised he was stuck in the shop.
Upon entering the shop, he had pulled the iron shutters shut behind him to avoid detection. The gate could not be lifted from the inside, as it was too close to the shop's display counter.
Desperate, he searched for another way out through the back of the shop but failed to find an escape route. Resigned to his predicament, he hid in a storage cabinet and waited for employees to arrive.
The next morning, employees of the gold shop discovered him trapped inside. They quickly closed the door, securing it with an additional lock and immediately alerted the police.
Police initially charged him with attempted theft and will investigate whether there were others involved in the plot.
The suspect confessed to attempted theft, citing financial desperation to fund his university education
"I needed money to study for a bachelor's degree at a state university in Chiang Mai. I apologise to my parents for my rash act," Aesara said,
He admitted to scouting the location for three days, choosing the mall for its proximity to his home. The "Ghost Face" disguise, he explained, was inspired by his love of the movies and intended to help him evade security cameras.
