A man has been arrested in Singapore after nearly $130,000 was stolen from a bag in a plane’s overhead locker.
The incident occurred on March 5, when a passenger arriving at Changi Airport from Hong Kong and found the US$80,000 (NZ$129,582) he was travelling with had been cleared from his carry-on.
Singapore police say the man had placed the bag in the overhead locker and didn’t notice a “suspicious person” rummaging through it.
Using flight records, authorities identified a 54-year-old man, who allegedly made four remittance payments totalling around S$37,897.70 (NZ$46,041.82).
After halting all the transactions, police arrested the man and found S$79,662.83 (NZ$96,781) of cash in multiple currencies.
He was charged with theft – which carries a prison term of up to three years and/or a fine.
“Theft on board an aircraft is a serious offence. The safety and security of all passengers is a top priority for Airport Police,” commander of the Airport Police Division, AC M Malathi, said.
“Our swift actions for this case ensured that the perpetrator was apprehended and brought to justice.
“Airport Police will continue to work closely with our airport stakeholders to ensure aircraft security and safety.”
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