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A passenger on a budget airline flight from Vietnam to Singapore was arrested for allegedly stealing $23,000 from other people on the aircraft.
According to CNN, Zhang Xiuqiang, 52, allegedly stole three million Vietnamese dong ($123) from a passenger’s backpack. He then took 510 million Vietnamese dong ($20,950) and a 50 Singapore dollar note ($38) from another person. He also took $1,000 and 930 Singapore dollars ($700) from an envelope in a bag belonging to another passenger.
Scoot Airlines told CNN that one of the passengers noticed their money had been stolen before the flight landed and notified the flight crew.
“Our cabin crew was alerted by a passenger to a suspected theft in the cabin and activated the Airport Police Division,” a spokesperson for the airline said. “The involved passengers were escorted off the aircraft by airport authorities for further investigation, and disembarkation proceeded as usual for the rest of our passengers.”
Xiuqiang, a Chinese national, faces up to three years in jail and a hefty fine if convicted.