Thieves strike twice on VietJet Air flights to Hong Kong

An alarming crime wave has hit Hong Kong’s skies as two separate thefts from flights arriving from Vietnam made headlines.

In the latest incident, a 37 year old mainland Chinese traveller reported his credit card stolen and used for fraudulent transactions totalling over 36,000 Hong Kong dollars (around 157,000 baht) while on board VietJet Air 966. The flight landed in Hong Kong from Da Nang at around 10pm on Sunday.

According to sources, the traveller had securely placed his credit card inside his backpack before falling asleep. Upon landing, he was startled to receive a bank notification revealing a transaction of 36,330 Hong Kong dollars. Realising his credit card was missing, he immediately alerted the police.

Hong Kong police classified the incident as theft. An airport district investigation team has been assigned to the case but no arrests have been made thus far.

This theft comes on the heels of a dramatic arrest on another flight from Da Nang. A 57 year old man was apprehended after reports emerged that a fellow passenger’s Rolex watch, worth 330,000 Hong Kong dollars, along with 5,000 dollars in cash, a bank card, and various foreign currencies, were stolen. The victim had stored his belongings in an overhead compartment before discovering their absence upon landing.

Police were alerted by airport staff, and the suspect was later identified by witnesses. The stolen items were discovered hidden under a mat on the bus transporting passengers from the plane, leading to the suspect’s arrest.

HK Express confirmed that their staff acted swiftly in calling the police as per standard procedures once the aircraft landed, reported South China Morning Post.

In related news, VietJet will receive up to ten Airbus jets this year. The delivery comes as local airlines grapple with aircraft shortages driven by engine recalls and elevated leasing costs.

In other news, Thai Vietjet aims to attract nearly eight million passengers this year by enhancing aircraft utilisation and increasing flights on existing routes, with plans to introduce new Boeing 737 Max jets next year.