SINGAPORE: Two Chinese nationals charged with theft on board a plane were taken by police back to the scene of the crime in Changi Airport on Thursday (Jun 5). They are accused of stealing S$169 (US$131) and two debit cards from a victim during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore.
The men were taken to several locations throughout the arrival area at Terminal 1, starting with gate D48 where they had exited. First to arrive at about 10.35am was Liu Xitang. The 35-year-old was in a wheelchair, wearing a cast on his right leg. He was clad in a white polo shirt and dark blue shorts with a purple towel laid over his thighs. He had told the court a day earlier during his charging that he was suffering from a leg fracture. Liu was accompanied by three male police investigators, who spoke to him in Mandarin. They asked him some questions before wheeling him to a smoking area near gate D36, where the questioning continued.
The group stopped at two other spots – just before a travelator, and near shops above the immigration hall. Liu was then taken to a rubbish bin, where the police had previously recovered two debit cards belonging to the victim. The questioning ended just before 10.50am, and members of the media were taken back to gate D48.
The second accused in the case, Wang Wei, 40, was escorted to the gate by five police officers at around 11.10am. The man was bespectacled and dressed similarly in a white polo shirt, dark blue shorts and slippers. He had black arm and leg restraints on him. Investigators took him through the same route as they did with Liu. They were also seen asking him questions while on a travelator.
Wang and the police officers left the scene at around 11.25am, shortly after the last stop at the rubbish bin. Liu and Wang were arrested on Monday after the police were alerted to the inflight theft at about 8.50pm. An off-duty police officer, who was onboard the same plane, told reporters on Wednesday that he had noticed one of the alleged suspects rummaging through a bag in the overhead compartment before taking items out. He later found out that the bag did not belong to the man, but to a female passenger instead. If convicted, the men may be jailed for up to three years, fined, or both.
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