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Although police shot at the vehicle's tyres, preventing the thieves from driving further along Rom Klao Road, the assailants managed to hail a taxi and get away with Bt27,000 in cash from the victim. Orapin Sermprapasil, 50, a furniture exporter, sustained bruises on her face.

She told police she was driving on Suwinthawong Road to her company, SPS Intertech, in Muang Chachoengsao when the four thieves rammed their pickup into the rear of her car.

Two of the thieves got out of the pickup to talk with her, but then started punching her in the face, whereupon she pretended to pass out. She said three of the thieves then drove away in her Benz, while the other followed in the pickup towards the outbound lane of Suwinthawong Road.

To avoid checkpoints, the thieves made a U-turn onto Rom Klao Road, where they attempted to break through another checkpoint near a motorway exit.

A Lat Krabang police officer shot at the Benz three or four times, causing a front tyre to burst, but the thieves drove for another 12 kilometres before abandoning the car.

The Nation