A Chinese national was detained in Vietnam after he was caught stealing money from another passenger on a plane. Zuo Lei reportedly took a wad of cash from the bag of the passenger sitting in front of him on January 9, VN Express reported.
Passengers on the Vietnam Airlines’ flight from Da Nang to Hanoi spotted the man acting suspiciously 20 minutes after take-off.
Lei allegedly changed seats and went through a bag in the overhead compartment. Passengers immediately informed flight attendants, who asked passengers to check their luggage. One man claimed VND10 million (US$431) was missing from his luggage.
The money was then found on Lei after he returned from the toilet. Lei was handed to authorities after the plane landed at Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport. He is now in the custody of Hanoi police.
In Vietnam, theft is a criminal offense if the stolen items’ value is more than VND2 million (US$87).