A Singaporean couple has been sentenced to jail in Ho Chi Minh City for stealing several branded bags and purses from malls in the city’s central urban district.
According to Vietnam’s VnExpress, Shawn Han Sxe Siang, 42, was handed a three-year and six-month jail term, while his partner Loh Si Yu, 25, received a three-year sentence at the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court on July 18 for their crimes committed in 2023.
The couple’s modus operandi involved stealing valuables from malls in Vietnam and then selling them back in Singapore. Loh would engage store employees in conversation to create a distraction while Han stole the items and brought them back to their hotel.
Prosecutors revealed that the duo went on a stealing spree between Aug 6 and 9, 2023, hitting several malls in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1.
The combined value of the stolen handbags, which feature popular brands like Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Gucci Deco, and others, was estimated to be more than VND102 million (S$5,400).
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Their criminal activities came to an end on Aug 9, 2023, when they were caught red-handed at the Union Square mall in District 1 while trying to steal a Louis Vuitton bag worth 29 million dong.
Before their arrest, Shawn worked as an engineer while Loh worked as a salesperson in Singapore after earning university degrees, as per the local news report.
“On Aug. 9 last year, the couple stole a Louis Vuitton bag worth VND29 million ($1,144) at the Union Square mall in District 1, but they were seen by employees and reported to the police. A search at their residence revealed several branded bags with no clear origins” reported VnExpress.
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A subsequent police search of their hotel room uncovered seven bags and purses from luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, and Gucci, which they could not prove ownership of.
In court, Han admitted to the crime, while Loh initially denied being involved in the distraction tactic and claimed she was simply engaging with sales assistants to learn more about the bags. However, both ultimately expressed remorse and apologized to the authorities, attributing their actions to challenging living conditions in Singapore.
They explained to the court that their challenging living conditions in Singapore had led them to steal high-end handbags in Ho Chi Minh City and transport them back to Singapore for profit, a local news report added.
Image via Tuoi Tre/tuoitrenews & VnExpress
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