Man to be charged after allegedly stealing from passenger on flight from Singapore to Jakarta
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The man left his assigned seat and walked several rows ahead, where he allegedly removed the victim’s bag stored in the overhead compartment.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: UNSPLASH
SINGAPORE – A 50-year-old man is due to be charged in court with theft on March 11 after he allegedly stole from a passenger on board a flight from Singapore to Jakarta.
In a statement on March 10, the police said they were alerted to a case of suspected theft on board the aircraft at about 6.20pm on Oct 2, 2025.
According to preliminary investigations, the man, who is a Chinese national, left his assigned seat and walked several rows ahead, where he allegedly removed the victim’s bag stored in the overhead compartment.
He carried the bag back to his seat, rummaged through its contents, and took cash amounting to $750 and three bank cards from the victim’s wallet before returning the bag to its original location.
The man’s suspicious actions caught the attention of a cabin crew member, who asked the victim to check his belongings.
After the victim discovered he was missing cash and cards, the cabin crew informed the flight captain, and the matter was reported to the Indonesian authorities.
The missing items were found on the aircraft and later returned to the victim before the plane landed in Jakarta.
The man was denied entry by the Indonesian authorities and directed to return to Singapore, where he was arrested by officers from the Airport Police Division at Changi Airport.
Foreign currencies and several mobile phones were recovered from him and seized.
If convicted, he could be jailed for up to three years, fined, or both.
On Nov 3, 2025, the cabin crew member was presented with a commendation from the police in recognition of his vigilance in detecting the theft.
