A 30-year-old Indonesian man was charged with theft and cheating after allegedly stealing a wallet on a flight to Singapore and making unauthorized purchases at Changi Airport, according to the Singapore Police Force (SPF) on March 26.
The theft happened on March 16 when the suspect allegedly took a wallet from a female passenger he knew during their flight to Singapore. The woman had put her wallet in her handbag, which was in the same overhead compartment as the suspect’s items.
After landing, the victim received notifications from her banking app about unauthorized transactions made with her debit card at shops in Changi Airport’s transit area. She reported the incident to police at around 4:55 a.m.
Airport Police Division officers identified the suspect through investigations and CCTV footage reviews. They arrested him within one hour of the report, before he could leave Singapore.
Assistant Commissioner of Police M Malathi, commander of the Airport Police Division, said it was fortunate the passenger had enabled notifications on her banking app, allowing her to report the unauthorized transactions quickly.
The suspect will face court on March 27. If convicted of theft, he could receive up to three years in prison, a fine, or both. The cheating offense carries a penalty of up to 10 years in jail and a fine.
SPF stated they have “zero tolerance” for thefts on aircraft and advised passengers to keep valuables on their person rather than in overhead compartments, and to remain alert for suspicious activity during flights.
