Latest news with #Benlai
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Time of India
Chinese national arrested for thefts in flights on long routes, three others detained
New Delhi: A Chinese national was arrested for organised and three other Chinese nationals were detained for questioning. Police investigations revealed that the arrested individual was part of a group targeting in which they stole cash, electronics, credit cards, etc., Tired of too many ads? go ad free now from the unsupervised luggage of sleeping passengers. Their strategy exploited long-duration, high-traffic international flights, making it harder to notice the thefts. The accused, Benlai Pan, 30, a resident of Hong Kong, was apprehended after Air India's security and vigilance team alerted Delhi Police on May 14 about suspicious activity on the airline's flight AI-315 from Hong Kong to New Delhi. Passengers had complained about theft during the flight. Police teams met Air India staff and passengers at Indira Gandhi International Airport's Terminal 3 arrival hall. Passenger Prabhat Verma told the cops that the cabin crew warned him of suspicious movements near his overhead baggage. Upon inspection, he discovered his credit card was missing and noticed a suspicious individual, later identified as Benlai, sitting in a seat not assigned to him. The missing card was found nearby. Another passenger, Prashi, too found her mother's debit card missing. Another vigilant passenger provided video footage showing Benlai opening cabin baggage items and inspecting the contents. Benlai was accompanied by three other Chinese nationals — Meng Guangyang, 51, Chang Mang, 42, and Liu Jie, 45. The authorities are liaising with the embassies concerned to verify their backgrounds and determine whether they were involved in similar crimes worldwide. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now During interrogation, Benlai confessed to being part of a sophisticated syndicate targeting transit flights. The group's strategy involved booking long transit flights to access unsupervised cabin luggage over extended periods. They sat in different section of the aircraft avoid being identified as a coordinated group, thus minimising the risk of being noticed. Their primary tactic was to target sleeping passengers, carefully opening bags to steal high-value items like cash, electronics and credit cards. When cards were stolen, the group used them and immediately discarded them to make detection harder. The syndicate specifically targeted high-traffic international routes, exploiting long-duration flights where passengers were fatigued and less vigilant. This allowed them to carry out thefts with relative ease, moving unnoticed in crowded cabins. A credit card, several bags, wallets and electronics were recovered from the men and they are under further scrutiny. Usha Rangnani, additional CP (IGI), said, "Benlai has been arrested, while the involvement of his three associates are being investigated. Travel data over the past 12 months is being analysed to connect the group with similar unsolved in-flight thefts." Alerts have been issued to immigration and airport authorities across the country and global enforcement agencies have been contacted to determine whether this group is a part of a larger .
News18
17-05-2025
- News18
Chinese National Arrested For Mid-Air Theft On Hong Kong-To-Delhi Flight
Last Updated: According to the police, the accused was part of a suspected international gang that targeted sleeping passengers during international transit flights. A 30-year-old Chinese national has been arrested for mid-air theft on a Hong Kong to Delhi Air India flight. The man identified as Benlai Pan was caught after the security and vigilance team of the airline raised concerns about suspicious activities. The incident came to light after the Security and Vigilance team of Air India, Terminal-3, IGI Airport, alerted Delhi Police regarding suspicious activity on Air India Flight AI-315 from Hong Kong to New Delhi. The alert was issued after four Chinese nationals were detained based on the complaints by the passengers, according to an official statement by IGI Airport Police. A passenger, Prabhat Verma, reported that the cabin crew had warned him of suspicious movements around his overhead baggage. After checking his bag, he found that his Bank of America Credit Card was missing. He further observed a suspicious individual seated at Seat No. 14C, later identified as Benlai Pan, who was not assigned that seat but was originally ticketed for Seat No. 23C. The missing card was found under Seat No. 14C, according to the police. Prashi, who was seated at 14A, also reported that her mother's HDFC Debit Card had gone missing from her handbag. Another passenger, Nafeez Fatima, stepped forward with a video recording that allegedly showed Benlai Pan opening cabin baggage and inspecting other passengers' personal items. The airline staff initiated further checks, and the authorities were alerted upon landing. The accused was identified as Benlai Pan. He was accompanied by three other Chinese nationals, including Meng Guangyang, 51, Chang Mang, 42, and Liu Jie, 45. The police immediately detained all four suspects. While Benlai has been arrested, his other three associates are under detailed inquiry to ascertain their exact role and involvement. The accused was part of a suspected international gang that targeted sleeping passengers during international transit flights, stealing high-value items, cash, and debit/credit cards, according to the official statement by police. The police are examining their travel data over the past 12 months. An FIR has also been filed against Benlai under sections 378/2025, 303(2) of the BNS at PS IGI Airport. A further investigation into the matter is underway. First Published: May 17, 2025, 14:23 IST
