The Police have arrested two male Chinese nationals, aged 35 and 40, for their suspected involvement in a case of theft on board an aircraft.
On 2 June 2025 at about 8.50pm, the Police were alerted to a case of theft onboard an aircraft which was enroute from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Singapore. Preliminary investigations revealed that the 35-year-old man seen removing some items after rummaging through the content of a female passenger’s bag, which was placed in the overhead compartment. The man’s suspicious behaviour caught the attention of a couple who was seated nearby, who continued to observe him throughout the flight.
After the aircraft had landed in Singapore, the couple saw the female passenger retrieving the bag and realised that the 35-year-old man who was earlier going through the bag, was not the owner. After disembarking from the aircraft, the couple alerted the female passenger of the alleged theft, and they alerted the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and the Police for assistance.
Through information provided by the couple on what they witnessed on the aircraft and with the aid of images from CCTVs, officers from the Airport Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him at a lounge in the transit area of Changi Terminal 1 within one hour of the report. Another 40-year-old man, who was believed to be his accomplice, was also arrested. Cash amounting S$169 were recovered from the 40-year-old men upon his arrest. The Police also recovered two debit cards belonging to the female passenger, which were discarded in a rubbish bin where the two men had traversed before they were arrested by the Police.
The men will be charged in court on 4 June 2025 for the offence of Theft with Common Intention under Section 379 read with Section 34 of the Penal Code 1871, read with Section 3(1) of the Tokyo Convention Act 1971. The offence carries an imprisonment term of up to three years, a fine, or with both.
The Singapore Police Force take a serious view of theft cases on board aircraft and offenders will be dealt with firmly in accordance with the law. Commander of Airport Police Division, Assistant Commissioner of Police M. Malathi, said, “The two observant passengers who came forward played a crucial role in assisting the Police and victim by notifying the suspicious behaviour they had observed onboard the aircraft. Their prompt reporting and detailed testimonies aided in the swift arrest of the suspects and substantiation of the crime which is inherently challenging due to the transient and time-sensitive nature of air travel.”
Cash and debit cards seized ▼
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
04 June 2025 @ 12:48 PM