A 30-year-old man will face charges in court on Thursday, March 27, for allegedly stealing a traveler's wallet while she was traveling to Singapore and using her debit card at Changi Airport.
According to the Singapore Police Force (SPF), the situation was brought to their attention on March 16 at approximately 4:55 am.
Throughout the journey, the victim kept her wallet in the overhead bin and inside her handbag. The police said that her debit card, which was stolen from her missing wallet, was used at stores in Changi Airport's transit area.
After being alerted to unauthorized activities on her banking app, the traveler called the police.
According to the authorities, the passenger and the suspect, who is an Indonesian male, were acquainted and had shared the same overhead compartment for storing their possessions. However, the flight on which the alleged offense occurred was not disclosed by SPF.
The Airport Police Division took the individual into custody. He will face theft charges in court on Thursday. He might be fined, imprisoned for up to three years, or both if found guilty. If proven guilty of cheating, he will face a maximum 10-year jail sentence and a fine.
The police have stated that they have zero tolerance against acts of theft on board aircraft. Assistant Commissioner of Police M Malathi, commander of the Airport Police Division, told CNA, "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."
"This enabled a swift response from us to arrest the man before he could depart from Singapore," the ACP added.
