Man goes on shopping spree at Changi Airport with debit card stolen from fellow passenger's wallet
The man allegedly stole a fellow passenger's debit card and used it at retail outlets in the Changi Airport transit area.
PHOTO: AsiaOne file
PUBLISHED ONMarch 26, 2025 6:58 AMByHoon Jeng JeeA 30-year-old Indonesian man allegedly stole a debit card from a fellow passenger on board a Singapore-bound flight on March 16 and used it at retail outlets in the Changi Airport transit area.
The victim received notifications of these unauthorised transactions on her banking app and she alerted the police at 4.55am.
According to the police release on Wednesday (March 26), the victim's debit card was in her wallet, which was placed in her handbag in the overhead compartment.
The police said the man and the victim, who are known to each other, used the same overheard compartment during the flight.
The Airport Police Division subsequently established the identity of the man and arrested him within an hour of the report.
The man will be charged in court on Thursday (March 27) for theft and cheating.
If found guilty of both offences, he faces up to 13 years in jail and a fine.
Commander of Airport Police Division, Assistant Commissioner of Police M Malathi said: "It was fortunate that the passenger had enabled notifications on her banking app, allowing her to quickly report the unauthorised transactions of her debit card."
There has been a spate of such incidents recently.
On March 17, a Chinese national was charged for theft after he allegedly stole a credit card, $200 and RM100 (S$30) from another passenger's bag in the overhead compartment on board a Kuala Lumpur to Singapore Scoot flight.
Zhang Kun, 51, representing himself in court, pleaded not guilty and denied taking the items. A pre-trial conference will be held on March 27.
If convicted, he faces an imprisonment term of up to three years, or a fine, or both.
On Feb 4, a Chinese national was arrested for stealing US$885 (S$1,197) from another passenger on a Singapore-bound flight.
Zhang Youqi, 30, was seen touching the victim's bag in the overhead compartment and she later discovered a stack of cash missing.
Zhang was sentenced to eight months in jail.
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