Latest news with #PublicSpiritednessAward
International Business Times
28-05-2025
- International Business Times
Chinese Man, 51, Jailed in Singapore for Stealing Valuables From Overhead Compartment on Scoot Flight
A 51-year-old man was jailed for 10 months on Wednesday, May 28, for stealing from a fellow passenger on a Scoot flight. Zhang Kun, a Chinese national, earlier pleaded guilty to one charge of theft. The incident happened on March 16 on flight TR465 from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. Zhang sat three rows behind the victim, who had a backpack in the overhead compartment with a wallet and a sling bag. The victim and his companion got up from their seats during the night trip to join their friends at the rear of the aircraft in celebrating a birthday. Zhang hurried to the overhead compartment, grabbed the rucksack, and carried it to his own seat after realizing the victim was no longer there. After locating the wallet, he took a credit card, RM100 (S$30), and S$200 in cash. After that, he put the wallet back and put the backpack back in the overhead bin. The passenger sitting next to Zhang saw what Zhang was doing. Following the plane's landing, Zhang's companion went up to the victim and requested that he examine his backpack. The passenger directed the victim toward Zhang once he realized that his credit card and cash were gone. While Zhang's companion filed a police report, the victim confronted Zhang and banned his credit card. Zhang was observed going to the bathroom many times before the police showed up. Although Zhang was taken into custody later that evening, he did not disclose his actions about the victim's belongings, and the police were unable to retrieve them. Zhang had collaborators aboard the Scoot flight, according to investigations. They were scheduled to spend two hours in Singapore before continuing on to Hong Kong, just like him. In the past, Zhang denied taking the items and requested "proof" from the prosecution that he had done so. Theft carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison, a fine, or both. In March, the police presented the Public Spiritedness Award to the passenger who informed the victim of the theft. Following the arrival of the flight, K Visvanathan provided "crucial information", leading to Zhang's arrest at Changi Airport Terminal 1. Commander of Airport Police Division, Assistant Commissioner of Police M Malathi told CNA, "I would like to commend Visvanathan for his public-spiritedness." "Such vigilance goes a long way in the swift detection and substantiation of such crimes, which are often challenging to uncover due to their transient nature," ACP added.
AsiaOne
28-05-2025
- AsiaOne
10 months' jail for man who stole cash, credit card onboard Scoot flight, Singapore News
Onboard a Scoot flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, Zhang Kun retrieved another passenger's haversack from the overhead compartment, took out the wallet and removed $200, RM100 (S$30) and a credit card from it. The 51-year-old Chinese national then put back the haversack. Another passenger, K Visvanathan, who witnessed the theft told the victim about the theft. They called the police soon after landing at Changi Airport Terminal 1 on March 17, and Zhang was arrested. On Wednesday (May 28), he was sentenced to 10 months' in jail after pleading guilty to a theft charge, the police said in a statement. Zhang has since fully compensated the victim. Visvanathan was awarded the Public Spiritedness Award on March 25 for providing crucial information during the police's follow-up investigations. The Commander of Airport Police Division and Assistant Commissioner of Police M Malathi said: "I would like to commend Mr Visvanathan for his public-spiritedness. "His timely information was instrumental in enabling our officers to take swift action to identify and arrest the accused." [[nid:716064]]
New Paper
23-04-2025
- New Paper
8 recognised for aiding police investigations in voyeurism and outrage of modesty cases
On Nov 4 last year, Mr Chng Choon Ming was at Bukit Panjang LRT when he spotted a man allegedly touching a female commuter's rear onboard a train. Mr Chng detained the man and alerted the station staff and the police. On April 22, Mr Chng and seven others received recognition from the Public Transport Security Command (TransCom) for assisting the police in seven cases involving voyeurism and outrage of modesty on public transport. In another case, Mr Kumar Arumugam on Nov 24 was in the vicinity of Boon Keng MRT station when he heard a commotion outside the female toilet. A woman and her friends informed Mr Kumar that they saw a man purportedly peeping over a cubicle wall inside the female toilet. Mr Kumar helped to detain the man and called the police. Mr Chng, Mr Kumar and four others - Mr Mohamed Ramadzan Mohamed Din, Ms Siti Khadijah Mohammed Anis, Mr Kay Eng Kok Wei and Mr Anson Liew Wen Jin - were presented the Public Spiritedness Award. Mr Lee Shao Wei and Ms Seet Li En Jessica received Letters of Appreciation. Assistant Commissioner of Police Masagoes Idris Hussain, Commander of Public Transport Security Command, said: "The award recipients are truly commendable. Their bravery, civic-mindedness and quick-witted actions aided the police in bringing the suspects to task. "These actions epitomise the symbiotic relationship that Police have with the community in enhancing the security ecosystem within the public land transport nodes."
