A guy has been charged with theft after allegedly taking almost $23,000 in cash from three other passengers on a low-cost flight from Vietnam to Singapore.
Zhang Xiuqiang, a 52-year-old Chinese national, was mentioned in court charge papers as being on board an aircraft operated by Scoot, Singapore Airlines' budget division. An airline spokeswoman informed CNN that the company "was aware of an incident" on a flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Singapore on December 16.
“Our cabin crew was alerted by a passenger to a suspected theft in the cabin and activated the Airport Police Division,” the spokesperson said. “The involved passengers were escorted off the aircraft by airport authorities for further investigation, and disembarkation proceeded as usual for the rest of our passengers.”
Mr. Zhang reportedly stole from three different passengers, according to charge sheets read out in court and published by Singapore public broadcaster Channel NewsAsia. He allegedly stole 3 million Vietnamese dong ($123) from one passenger's backpack and 510 million Vietnamese dong ($20,950) and a 50 Singapore dollar note ($38) from another's black messenger bag.
He is also accused of stealing $1,000 and 930 Singapore dollars ($700) from an envelope discovered in the gray luggage of a third passenger.
Cabin theft is a federal offense in several nations and occurs more frequently than most people realize. In October, Hong Kong police warned of an increase in crimes on arriving aircraft after uncovering a criminal gang that stole credit cards from passengers. Cathay Pacific Airways, based in Hong Kong, declared a crackdown on petty theft of in-flight consumables by its cabin staff in 2019.
Meanwhile, in September, a man was detained in Taiwan for allegedly taking money from another passenger's carry-on luggage on a trip from Tokyo to Taipei.
Mr. Zhang has been remanded in custody pending the outcome of the police inquiry. If convicted of stealing, he may face up to three years in prison, a fine, or both.
Scoot stated that it was unable to give any information regarding the incident, but advised crew and passengers to stay attentive on board.
“Our operating crew are trained to be vigilant and alert authorities of any suspicious behavior on board our flights,” it said in the statement. “We also advise our customers to safeguard their valuables at all times.”
