Second theft aboard flight from Vietnam to Hong Kong emerges in single day
- Mainland Chinese traveller’s credit card stolen from backpack on VietJet Air flight, used to make purchases of more than HK$36,000
A mainland Chinese traveller contacted Hong Kong police after discovering his credit card had been allegedly stolen on a flight from Vietnam to the city and was used to make purchases totalling more than HK$36,000 (US4,600).
It was the second suspected mid-air theft involving flights from Vietnam in a day, with the other case involving the arrest of a man on board another plane to Hong Kong. That case involved the theft of items such as a Rolex watch worth HK$330,000 and thousands of dollars in cash from a fellow passenger.
In the latest case, the 37-year-old mainland visitor allegedly put his credit card inside his backpack before going to sleep on VietJet Air 966, which arrived in Hong Kong from Da Nang on Sunday at about 10pm, according to a source familiar with the case.
Upon landing, he received a notification from his bank saying there was a transaction of HK$36,330 made on his card, the source said.
He checked his bag and realised his credit card was missing and immediately alerted police.
The force is treating the incident as theft. An airport district investigation team took over the case, but so far no arrests have been made.
Meanwhile, the force said on Monday a 57-year-old man was apprehended the previous night after officers received a report that a victim allegedly had a Rolex watch, a bank card, and HK$5,000, US$200, €20 (US$22.4) and 1 million Vietnamese dong (US$40) in cash taken from him.
Police added the victim, a 39-year-old man, had placed the items inside a handbag and stowed them in an overhead baggage compartment when he boarded the HK Express flight 561 from Da Nang to Hong Kong on Sunday, but found them gone after the plane landed.
Airport staff members called police after the victim notified them of the incident and all plane passengers had boarded a bus on the tarmac.
“Several witnesses” identified the suspect, while the lost items which were hidden under a mat on the luggage rack of the bus were recovered, police added.
Police officers later arrested the suspect.
HK Express confirmed the case with the Post, and said staff had immediately called for police assistance once the plane landed in Hong Kong, in accordance with standard procedures.
