SINGAPORE — A 26-year-old Chinese national has been sentenced to 20 months in jail after stealing a passenger’s luggage on a Singapore Airlines flight from Dubai to Singapore. The man, Liu Ming, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, December 23, to one charge of theft, with prosecutors revealing that the crime was carried out as part of a wider criminal syndicate targeting high-value items.
According to court documents, Liu had boarded Singapore Airlines flight SQ495 on the evening of August 7 with the sole intention of stealing from business class passengers. The prosecution stated that his travel and actions were financed by a criminal group that specifically targeted premium cabins, where passengers are more likely to carry valuable belongings.
Liu was seated in the business class section of the aircraft, several rows behind his intended victim. The victim, a 52-year-old Azerbaijani man, was seated five rows in front of Liu, while the victim’s wife occupied a seat one row ahead of Liu. The court heard that Liu had no prior relationship or acquaintance with the couple.
The theft occurred in the early hours of August 8, after the dinner service had concluded and cabin lights were dimmed. At the time, the victim was asleep, while his wife had just awakened from a brief nap. Cabin crew members were in the pantry area with the curtains drawn, reducing visibility in the cabin.
Seizing the opportunity, Liu walked to the victim’s seat and opened the overhead compartment. He removed the victim’s luggage and carried it back to his own seat. However, the act did not go unnoticed. The victim’s wife saw Liu handling her husband’s bag and immediately confronted him, asking whether the luggage belonged to him.
When Liu gave a response she did not understand, the woman alerted the cabin crew. As she sought assistance, Liu returned the unopened bag to the overhead compartment above the victim’s seat and went back to his own seat. When questioned by the crew, Liu falsely claimed that he had been confused and had mistakenly taken the wrong luggage.
Further investigations later revealed that Liu’s explanation was untrue. Prosecutors said he had deliberately targeted the victim’s bag as part of a planned theft operation linked to a criminal syndicate. The court noted that Liu had boarded the flight specifically to commit the crime, making the offence premeditated rather than opportunistic.
Liu’s case follows several other convictions related to onboard thefts this year, including incidents involving accomplices operating together on commercial flights. Singapore authorities have repeatedly warned that such crimes are taken seriously, particularly when they involve organised groups and international travel.
In sentencing Liu to 20 months’ imprisonment, the court underscored the need for deterrence, citing the vulnerability of passengers during long-haul flights and the importance of maintaining trust and safety in air travel. The ruling sends a clear message that crimes committed aboard aircraft, especially those linked to syndicates, will face firm punishment under Singapore law.
