ScootPlus passenger stole debit cards and $169 cash from woman's bag in overhead compartment
Christine Tan
The Straits Times
July 30, 2025
In yet another case of in-flight theft, a man has been jailed for stealing a passenger's debit cards and cash onboard a Scoot flight to Singapore.
Both the prosecution and judge noted the increasing prevalence of such offences as Liu Xitang's case was heard in court on July 30.
The Chinese national, 35, was sentenced to 10 months' jail after pleading guilty to one charge of theft.
Handing down the sentence, District Judge Eddy Tham said: "A strong message needs to be sent out to deter any like-minded persons from carrying out such offences."
The court heard that Liu committed the crime on June 2 while onboard Scoot flight TR469 from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore.
His co-accused was fellow Chinese national Wang Wei, 41, who has also been charged. Wang's case is still before the courts.
Wang was aware that Liu would commit theft on flights. In particular, Liu would get the details of other passengers' credits cards and use the stolen information to make transactions.
In their conversations, they used the codeword "biscuit" to refer to credit cards.
The duo entered Malaysia from China on May 31. They planned to leave Malaysia on June 2 via the flight to Singapore, then transit to Hong Kong and part ways.
After boarding the plane, the victim, a 39-year-old Malaysian, placed her bag containing her valuables in the overhead compartment above her seat.
Before take-off, Liu reached into that overhead compartment and stole two debit cards and $169 in cash from the victim's bag.
He then placed the items into a drawstring bag, which he got as a ScootPlus passenger, and passed the bag to Wang.
Liu also messaged an unknown person on WeChat that he had found a "biscuit" and coordinated with this person about when to use the cards.
Two other passengers witnessed Liu's actions. A flight stewardess also noticed Liu passing the drawstring bag to Wang before take-off and instructed him to return to his seat.
When the flight landed, the two passengers saw the victim retrieve her bag from the overhead compartment and they realised it belonged to her and not Liu.
They decided to find and inform the victim to check her belongings. After the woman checked inside her bag and saw that cards and cash were missing, she filed a police report.
The police subsequently traced and arrested Liu and Wang at Changi Airport.
Wang returned the cash, and the victim's debit cards were found in a dustbin near the immigration checkpoint. Liu admitted he had thrown them away.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Gladys Lim said there was evidence to suggest the pair were working with a larger group of criminals, such as the unknown third party Liu spoke to on WeChat.
In mitigation, Liu said through an interpreter that he knew what he did was "a very bad thing".
"I should not have done it, Your Honour, and I've realised my mistake," said Liu, adding that he hoped to return home soon to settle his father's funeral matters.
Liu's case comes amid a spike in cabin theft cases in Asia, which has been blamed on members of organised crime groups who catch short-transit flights to steal small items from passengers.
Between January and May, three people were charged in Singapore for theft onboard an aircraft. Only one person was charged in the same period in 2024.
Assistant Commissioner M. Malathi, commander of the Airport Police Division, told The Straits Times in June that passengers should always keep their valuables on them, remain vigilant and make timely reports for their officers to quickly trace the suspects.
