Business class traveller is jailed after he is caught trying to steal another passenger’s

A business class traveller has been jailed for 20 months after he was caught trying to steal another passenger’s luggage on a Singapore Airlines flight.

Liu Ming, 26, boarded the Dubai to Singapore flight on August 7 and attempted to steal items from the bag of an Azerbaijani man and his wife in the business class cabin.

Liu, a Chinese national, pleaded guilty to one charge of theft.

The court was told that Liu boarded the flight with the specific intention of stealing valuable items from fellow business class passengers.

Liu was seated five rows in front of an Azerbaijani business class passenger, 52, and one row in front of his victim’s wife.

In the early hours of August 8, Liu tried to act after the dinner service had finished and the cabin lights had been dimmed.

The victim was asleep, but his wife woke up from a short nap to see Liu walking to her husband’s seat and taking his luggage from the overhead compartment.

Liu then carried it back to his seat.

The victim’s wife confronted the man and alerted the cabin crew after she did not understand his response. 

A business class traveller has been jailed for 20 months after he was caught trying to steal another passenger’s luggage on a Singapore Airlines flight (stock image)

Liu Ming, 26, boarded the Dubai to Singapore flight on August 7 and attempted to steal items from the bag of an Azerbaijani man and his wife in the business class cabin

After realising he had been caught, Liu returned to the victim’s seat and replaced the luggage in the compartment from where he had taken it.

Liu told the cabin crew that he had taken the luggage by mistake after confusing it with his own bag. 

The cabin crew informed staff at Changi Airport, and Liu was arrested when he arrived.

The victim’s bag contained items valued at S$100,000 (£57,625). 

The items included cash and a Huawei laptop worth about S$2,100 (£1,553), 56 cigars worth more than S$5,400 (£3,994), a Chopard watch worth more than S$35,000 (£35,887), and an Audemars Piguet watch worth more than S$51,000 (£37,715).

No items were found missing, the court heard, because the victim’s wife intercepted Liu soon after he took the luggage from the compartment.

Police said Liu was uncooperative during investigations and continued to deny the theft, claiming it was an accident.

However, Liu’s bag was entirely different from the victim’s bag, in both appearance and material.

Deputy public prosecutor Cheah Wenjie sought up to 20 months in jail.

‘The proliferation of theft offences on board Singapore’s national carrier would tarnish its reputation, and that of Singapore’s tourist industry,’ he said.