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hillbilly

'Prospective' buyer makes off with 2,100 carat diamond worth Bt315m; police suspect it is work of insider




A team of conmen yesterday made off with a diamond worth Bt315 million after introducing themselves as aides to a politician. The diamond from Africa weighs about 420 grams or 2,100 carats.

"A man suddenly ran away with the diamond just as we were discussing a purchase deal," Rinlapas Poonyajirapat said yesterday. "Then he jumped on a waiting motorcycle and sped away."

Rinlapas, 58, runs a recruitment agency but also doubles as a diamond agent.

The diamond's rightful owner, 71-year-old Chakraphan Pramuansuk, was also present at the scene.

He bought two diamonds from Africa for Bt500,000 about 15 years ago.

The bigger piece was stolen yesterday just as Chakraphan allowed a man, who looked like a prospective customer, to examine it.

The man, who arrived in a cream-coloured sedan, wore a black suit with red necktie. "The other diamond was in Chakraphan's hands and thus was safe," Rinlapas said.

She said she had arranged a meeting between Chakraphan and the conmen yesterday. "I thought they were going to buy the diamonds," she said.

They seemed real

The men contacted her on Wednesday to say their boss was interested in the diamonds. He also showed her a bank account that had more than Bt100 million. Police are investigating the case.

"We will check recordings in the closed-circuit TV systems both at Rinlapas' place and nearby buildings," Pol Colonel Charoen Sisasalak said. "We will also question all witnesses."

Charoen suspects the men must have had inside information.

Bangkok's Independent Newspaper

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Milkman

Here's what I'd do if I had an expensivie diamond and a prospective buyer wanted to examine it.

The owner/seller and prosptective buyer go into a room. The door is shut and locked. There is a video camera recording things.

The prospective buy can look at the diamond, examine it, sit down at a table, bring his own equipment to check the diamond etc.,

The the prospective buyer gives back the diamond, it's locked in a safe in the room or kept on the seller's person.

The door is unlocked, there are witness and at least a guard or 2 present.

Holding a diamong in your hand and handing it to a stranger.


No way.

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friscofrankie

A diamond weighing almost a pound (valued at 10 million dollars) and hte deal is done where teh buyer can "suddenly ran away with the diamond just as we were discussing a purchase deal," and then "jumped on a waiting motorcycle and sped away."

Is this Diamond insured, I wonder?

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insanity...

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mrsquirrel

^ That is what I thought.


Setup.

Thormaturge

Exactly.

No doubt the loss adjusters will be wanting to see confirmation of the original purchase and some evidence the diamond existed in the first place.

Strangely Thais don't seem to think things through when they "try it on". It's quite funny really. My favourite one is when they claim their mobile phone was stolen, but they still have the old simcard. What, the thief took the phone but forgot the simcard? LOL

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"Change"

Happyman

If it was insured - and thats a big "if"- I would be surprised if the premium had been adjusted on an annual basis to reflect the alleged increase in value over the 15 years of ownership form a percentage of the purchase price (for 2 stones) of 500,000 baht - to the claimed present value of 315,000,000 baht for 1 stone !

Shit ! I would consider coming out of retirement from loss adjusting just to have a go with this one !!!

momo8

Where did he stash it as he 'ran away' ? Down his pants? Weird story.

good2bhappy

got to be an insurance scam!

kingwilly

Unreal.

but being Thailand, it may actually also be a true story....

Larn

Channel 5 news showed the arrest of 2 men but no diamond.

friscofrankie

BUT this story is just too fuckin weird, man. most people have their high value gems insured, though. If you hold a gem for any length of time it would be wise to have to reappraised and the value adjusted from time to time.

Getting ripped off this way is just the ultimate in stupidity, or a scam of some sort.

424 gram (2100 carat) diamond would have a bulk of about 120 cubic centimeters not a real large item.

dirtydog

Well, with the way prices of diamonds have gone looking at that story we should all have invested in them.

Happyman

You would be amazed how many people do not !
In some societies ( Indian and Chinese in Malaysia for instance) they were reluctant to do so as they would have to declare their wealth and assets for various taxation reasons.
The loss adjusting company that I worked for at the time had a separate department purely dealing with claims for items underinsured due to their increased value - and they were busy !!!

Thormaturge

It is surprising how many people don't realise that the tax authorities read the press too.

I remember back in 1974 the owner of a whelk stall that was demolished in a car accident in Dagenham pub car park proudly boasted to the Dagenham Post that he wouldn't be put put of business as he had another stall in a different pub. We didn't know about the second one and the poor fool wound up with a back duty investigation.

Thormaturge

The Bangkok post reported yesterday that the diamond had been returned and is really a cubic zircona fake.

Seems the value was overstated by approximately thB 314,999,900. Easily done.

dirtydog

Change your trading name every six months to avoid scum like thormatague

Thetyim

True.
A friend of mine crashed his airplane and it was reported in the local Cornish newspaper.
The foking taxman turned up to ask where his airplane came from as his tax returns did not balance with someone who could own his own plane.