Singapore couple jailed up to 3.5 years in Vietnam for stealing luxury handbags

A Singaporean couple were slapped with jail terms on Thursday (July 18) for stealing luxury handbags from malls in Ho Chih Minh City.

According to a report by Vietnamnet, Shawn Han Sxe Siang, 42, was sentenced to three years and six months, while Loh Si Yu, 25, was given three years for the thefts that occurred between Aug 6 and 9, 2023.

They were arrested after stealing a Louis Vuitton handbag worth 29 million dong (S$1,540) from Union Square Mall in the Vietnamese city's downtown District 1.

The police also recovered several more handbags and two wallets from luxury brands such as Gucci and Marc Jacobs at the couple's hotel room.

In total, the prosecutors said, the couple stole seven bags worth 102 million dong.

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Loh would talk to the staff at the stores to create a distraction while Han nicked the items, which she initially denied, saying she had spoken to the employees to find out more about the bags, reported VN Express.

According to Vietnamnet, the couple arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on Aug 6 last year. That evening, they went to a Marc Jacobs store and stole a handbag worth over 6 million dong.

Their spree came to an end on Aug 9, when they were detected and detained by a mall security guard after they took the Louis Vuitton bag, who then handed them over to local police.

The court heard that the couple were in Vietnam on holiday, but intended to steal the luxury goods to resell in Singapore due to the challenging conditions they faced back home. 

Han reportedly worked as an engineer in Singapore, and Loh, a salesperson.

In court, both expressed remorse, apologised to local authorities and the victims, and asked for lighter sentences so they could return to their families soon.

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drimac@asiaone.com