51-year-old Chinese national allegedly stole valuables from an overhead bag mid-flight

A Chinese national has been charged with theft after allegedly stealing from a fellow passenger’s bag during a Scoot flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore.

The police were alerted to the incident at 12:20 AM on Monday, 17 March. According to investigations, a male passenger saw Zhang Kun, 51, removing a bag from the overhead compartment while the owner was not in his seat. Zhang is accused of taking the bag to his seat, searching through it, and concealing some of its contents inside his jacket before returning the bag.

Upon being informed by the witness, the victim checked his belongings and found that a credit card, S$200, and RM100 (approximately S$30) were missing. The two passengers notified the police upon landing at Changi Airport and started searching for Zhang. He was later found in the transit area and arrested.

In court, Zhang, who is representing himself, denied the accusations and pleaded not guilty. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for 27 March. If convicted, he could face up to three years in prison, a fine, or both.

Recent Incidents of In-Flight Theft
This case is part of a growing trend of thefts on flights. On 4 February, another Chinese national was caught stealing US$885 (S$1,197) from a passenger’s bag on a Singapore-bound flight and was sentenced to eight months in jail.

Between January 2023 and September 2024, four cases of in-flight theft resulted in criminal charges. One notable incident involved a Chinese national who stole approximately S$120,000 from a jeweller on a Singapore Airlines flight in March 2024.

Authorities advise passengers to avoid storing cash and valuables in overhead compartments and to remain vigilant for any suspicious behaviour during flights.