Suvarnabhumi Airport police arrested a Chinese flyer who stole cash from a Danish passenger’s carry-on bag mid-flight.
Ma Qiquan, 45, was busted with EUR5,050 cash (THB197,000) upon landing yesterday after the victim filed a complaint with the airline for theft.
On flight TK064 from Istanbul, Turkey, an eye-witness photographed the moment Ma took the victim’s carry-on bag from the overhead cabin before he raided the bag for cash in his seat and returned the bag as if nothing had happened.
According to his passport records, cops said Ma had traveled to Thailand several times but never went through immigration. Police believe the man would immediately hop on another flight and leave the country after stealing.
Police said they have been watching the movements of “mid-flight thieves” for over six months, but could never catch one because most victims found out they had been robbed only after leaving the airport.
In some cases, the thief would replace the cash with smaller bills to fool the victims they still had their money, police added.
