In-flight theft is soaring in Asia, police warn
Air passengers hoping to take a nap could be better invited to keep an eye open and their mind about them, following a warning from the Singapore police according to which the criminal gangs are behind a recent resurgence in the flight reported on flights above Asia.
“They will only take money and perhaps one or two cards. They will not take your whole wallet, because if they do it, it is easier to notice it,” the city’s airport police commander said in late June.
Malaysia and Hong Kong recorded hundreds of flight cases in 2024, up around 70% compared to the previous year, while Vietnam and Japan have also experienced increases.
But catching a plane thief is generally not so simple: the suspects generally operate in pairs, reserving short-haul flights in and out of a destination before the victims noticed that they were stolen.
“A timely report is important for our officers to follow quickly and trace the suspects and intercept them before taking their next flight,” said Malathi.
According to Nick Careen, Vice-President Director of International Air Transport Association (IATA), the increase in flight on board seems to be “organized” and largely short from China.
Speaking at the recent IATA annual meeting in Delhi, Careen said that its organization, which represents around 300 airlines which transported around 80% of world passengers, planned to discuss the issue with governments and law enforcement officials.
“How we manage this, be it security on board or cooperation of local governments in terms of appropriate penalties, these are the types of things we will see,” he said.
Singapore police advised passengers to keep valuables with them rather than put them in air compartments and keep an eye on passengers exciting in luggage storage areas.
In a statement of June 4 detailing the arrests of two Chinese suspects which came from Kuala Lumpur two days earlier, the Singapore police explained how a vigilant passenger spotted one of the suspects “taking the bag and hiding the personal effects of the victim in his jacket before returning the bag to the compartment”.
