Last Friday the Hanoi People's Court sentenced a Chinese national to eight years in prison for stealing almost US$18,000 in cash from two passengers on a Hanoi-bound domestic flight in April.
Tuoi Tre reports that Ding Ying Jun received the sentence for nicking roughly VND400 million (US$17,613) on a Vietnam Airlines flight from Saigon to Hanoi on April 15.
According to the indictment, Jun bought a business class seat for the flight. After takeoff, he moved and sat near Le Cao Minh, from Saigon; and Cu Anh Tuan, who lives in Hanoi.
While in the air, Jun opened the overhead compartment above him and took about VND100 million and US$400 in cash from Tuan's bag, along with an envelope with US$13,000 in it from Minh's luggage.
Ta Thi Thu Huong, the chief flight attendant on board, noticed Jun's suspicious activity and asked Tuan and Minh to check their bags, the news source shares. Both realized their cash was missing, but Ding denied that he had taken it. As Huong moved away, he threw the money back into the overhead compartment.
Upon landing in Hanoi, Jun was detained. He still denies the theft, but sufficient evidence was collected to convict him anyway, Tuoi Tre reports. He was also wanted by Chinese authorities for similar crimes in China.
[Photo via Xa Luan]
