Beware of PRC luggage thieves on Singapore flights - syndicate discovered!

[Rogue Trader]

A colleague of mine lost his new phone flying out of SG in March... I thought it was impossible someone could steal on board the flight, until I read this report ......

Crime syndicate targeting Singapore flights: Police
AFP | Tue, May 29 2012

SINGAPORE - Singapore police warned on Tuesday that members of a crime syndicate from China were believed to be stealing money from the bags of passengers while they slept on flights to and from the country.

Eighteen reports about in-flight thefts have been filed so far this year, up from only one in 2011, said Assistant Commissioner of Police Sam Tee, head of the airport police division.

'Investigations revealed that some of the thieves are suspected to be syndicate members from China working in groups of three to four individuals per flight,' Assistant Commissioner Tee told AFP.

'They would strike during boarding operations, or in-flight when passengers are asleep or when using the toilets. Their goal is to steal cash which has been kept by passengers inside their travel or laptop bags stowed in the overhead compartments of the aircraft.' Assistant Commissioner Tee said the thefts were confined to some carriers on regional flights.

Last week Chinese national Fu Xinping was jailed for four weeks for stealing US$800 (S$1,020) and HK$3,000 (S$492) from a fellow Chinese national's bag on a Hong Kong-bound Singapore Airlines flight in April, local media reported.

Singapore Airlines declined to reveal the number of thefts on its flights recently but said cabin crew had been advised to remain vigilant.

 

[Rogue Trader]

Thieves take to the skies
By Rennie Whang, The New Paper | Wed, May 30 2012

Even as you relish how much fun you expect to have on holiday, some of your fellow plane passengers may be relishing how much money they would get stealing from you.

They belong to a syndicate suspected to have been sending three to four of its members on some flights to steal from passengers, said Singapore police.

And with the number of such thefts spiking since last year, you might want to be extra careful, especially now that the school holidays have begun.

Last Tuesday, The New Paper (TNP) reported that Chinese national Fu Xinping (right) was jailed four weeks for stealing from passengers on Singapore Airline (SIA) flight SQ866 bound for Hong Kong on April 23.

A passenger, Mr Han Tian, 27, had put his sling bag in the overhead compartment and had gone to the toilet when Fu removed the bag.

Fu stole US$800 (S$1,025) and HK$3,000 (S$495) from an envelope inside the bag.

Responding to TNP's queries, police revealed a troubling trend of more thefts being committed on planes.

Eighteen such reports have already been received so far this year; there was only one report last year.

The thefts occur mostly on regional flights, said the police.

In an e-mail reply, Commander of Airport Police Division, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police (DAC) Sam Tee said investigations revealed that some of the thieves are suspected to be syndicate members from China working in groups of three to four on a flight.

Said DAC Tee: "They would strike during boarding operations or in-flight when passengers are asleep or using the toilets. Their goal is to steal cash which have been kept by passengers inside their travel or laptop bags stowed in the overhead compartments of the aircraft."

He added that Airport Police have been working closely with airlines and this has led to arrests. DAC Tee added: "Passengers can do their part by exercising caution and to keep their cash and valuables with them while on board the aircraft."

Other reported thefts on flights follow a pattern - money taken from bags kept in overhead compartments. On March 25, a 41-year-old man on board a Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight from Jakarta to Singapore was arrested for taking US$5,000 from a fellow passenger's wallet, said the police.

Arrested

The wallet was inside his laptop bag and stowed overhead. After searching through the wallet, the man placed it back in the bag and put it back in the compartment.

A 30-year-old man, believed to be an accomplice, was also arrested.

On April 21, two Chinese nationals on board separate SIA flights were arrested.

During one flight, from Hong Kong to Singapore, a 38-year-old man allegedly removed a fellow passenger's laptop bag from an overhead compartment and searched it.

An SIA spokesman said the airline was ready, upon request, to help any passenger who wanted to file a theft report.

He added that if the theft occurred mid-air, cabin crew would first clarify with the affected customer on whether the missing item was lost before or during the flight.

If it happened during the flight, the crew would inform ground staff and the authorities when they reached their destination.

SIA, Jetstar and SilkAir said they encouraged all passengers to be responsible for their own belongings. A SilkAir spokesman also advised passengers to consider using locks for their cabin baggage.

Tiger Airways declined to comment.

Senior lecturer of aviation management and sciences at Temasek Polytechnic, Mr Gary Ho, said theft on aeroplanes by criminal gangs was unsurprising. He advised travellers to avoid putting their wallets or cash in overhead compartments, and stow bags in the compartments next to or in front of them.

Said Mr Ho: "It's common sense - anything that is really valuable, keep it on you. When people board planes, they somehow seem to have a false sense of security. You wouldn't leave your bag alone on MRT trains or buses, right?"

 

[MeeSiamGirl]

Its not new. They used to con people on the ground in groups, selling fake stones, virgnity, lost passports...Now they have upgraded to the sky.

 

[Baluku]

Urban legends!!

 

[cockie]

KNN... PRC man are thief and woman are pros....

 

[The_Hypocrite]

Items get stolen is possible but cash and passport etc is always with me..even when i go to loo etc. never let yr valuables be away from u

 

[erection2015]

once the public awarenes is awakened these crooks wont find it so easy to steal...still can of course becos there will always be dummies, but more likely to get caught.

KNN... PRC man are thief and woman are pros....