A 26-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for attempting to steal a fellow passenger’s high-value luggage during a Singapore Airlines flight. The incident occurred on a flight from Dubai to Singapore, where the accused targeted a business class cabin.
Key Takeaways
- A business class passenger was jailed for 20 months for attempting to steal luggage.
- The stolen bag contained items valued at over S$100,000.
- The passenger pleaded guilty to one charge of theft.
The Incident Unfolds
The court heard that Liu Ming, a Chinese national, boarded the flight on August 7 with the specific intention of stealing valuable items from other business class passengers. He was seated a few rows ahead of an Azerbaijani couple.
In the early hours of August 8, after the dinner service and as cabin lights were dimmed, Liu attempted his theft. While the victim was asleep, his wife awoke to see Liu removing her husband’s luggage from the overhead compartment and taking it to his own seat. She confronted Liu and alerted the cabin crew. Realising he had been caught, Liu returned the bag to its original location.
The Stolen Valuables
Liu initially claimed he had taken the bag by mistake. However, cabin crew alerted airport staff, and he was arrested upon arrival at Changi Airport. The victim’s bag contained an array of high-value items, including cash, a Huawei laptop (worth approximately S$2,100), 56 cigars (valued at over S$5,400), a Chopard watch (worth more than S$35,000), and an Audemars Piguet watch (valued at over S$51,000). The total value of the contents exceeded S$100,000 (£57,625).
Investigation and Sentencing
Despite Liu’s initial claims of a mistake, police noted that his bag was significantly different in appearance and material from the victim’s. Liu remained uncooperative during the investigation. The prosecution argued that such thefts tarnish the reputation of Singapore’s national carrier and its tourism industry, seeking a jail term of up to 20 months. The court ultimately sentenced Liu to 20 months imprisonment.
This case follows a similar incident in May, where another Chinese national was jailed for 10 months for stealing from a passenger on a Scoot flight.
