Latest news with #LiuXitang
Focus Malaysia
13 hours ago
- Focus Malaysia
Surge in in-flight theft in Malaysia linked to international crime gang
A SURGE in in-flight thefts across Asia, particularly in Hong Kong and Malaysia, has been linked to organised crime groups targeting short-transit flights, including those to Singapore. Malaysia saw 146 cases in the same period, up from 88 in 2023. Assistant Commissioner M Malathi, commander of Singapore's Airport Police Division, noted the difficulty in detecting these crimes, as syndicate members work in pairs, stealing small items like cash or cards to avoid notice. 'They will only take some cash and maybe one or two cards. They won't take your whole wallet, because if they do, it is easier to notice,' she said in a report published by The Straits Times. Criminals often buy last-minute tickets and switch flights to evade detection. Between January and May 2025, Singapore charged three individuals for in-flight theft, compared to one in 2024. On June 4, Chinese nationals Liu Xitang, 35, and Wang Wei, 40, were charged with stealing S$169 and two debit cards on a Kuala Lumpur-Singapore flight. In May, Zhang Kun, 51, pleaded guilty to stealing a credit card and over $200 on a similar route. The Singapore Airport Police Division (APD) uses data analytics to identify syndicate members, focusing on frequent travellers with short transit times. 'We use data analytics in general to identify these people that could be of interest coming into Singapore,' said AC Malathi. Additionally, shoplifting in Changi Airport's transit areas is a concern, with 37 cases in early 2025, down from 109 in 2024 and 129 in 2023. 'These crimes are very opportunistic,' Malathi noted. Since 2023, APD has deployed patrol robots, with a new model, Gibson, set for launch in 2025. — June 28, 2025
CNA
05-06-2025
- CNA
Two men charged with inflight theft taken back to crime scene at Changi Airport
SINGAPORE: Two Chinese nationals charged with theft on board a plane were taken by police back to the scene of the crime in Changi Airport on Thursday (Jun 5). They are accused of looting S$169 (US$131) and two debit cards from a victim during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. The men were taken to several locations throughout the arrival area at Terminal 1, starting with gate D48 where they had exited. First to arrive at about 10.35am was Liu Xitang. The 35-year-old was in a wheelchair, wearing a cast on his right leg. He was clad in a white polo shirt and dark blue shorts with a purple towel laid over his thighs. He had told the court a day earlier during his charging that he was suffering from a leg fracture. Liu was accompanied by three male police investigators, who spoke to him in Mandarin. They asked him some questions before wheeling him to a smoking area near gate D36, where the questioning continued. The group stopped at two other spots - just before a travelator, and near shops above the immigration hall. Liu was then taken to a rubbish bin, where the police had previously recovered two debit cards belonging to the victim. The questioning ended just before 10.50am, and members of the media were taken back to gate D48. The second accused in the case, Wang Wie, 40, was escorted to the gate by five police officers at around 11.10am. The man was bespectacled and dressed similarly in a white polo shirt, dark blue shorts and slippers. He had black arm and leg restraints on him. Investigators took him through the same route as they did with Liu. They were also seen asking him questions while on a travelator. Wang and the police officers left the scene at around 11.25am, shortly after the last stop at the rubbish bin. Liu and Wang were arrested on Monday after the police were alerted to the inflight theft at about 8.50pm. An off-duty police officer, who was onboard the same plane, told reporters on Wednesday that he had noticed one of the alleged suspects rummaging through a bag in the overhead compartment before taking items out. He later found out that the bag did not belong to the man, but to a female passenger instead.
