A Chinese national who boarded a Singapore Airlines flight with the sole intention of stealing from business-class passengers has been sentenced to 20 months in jail, in what prosecutors described as a serious threat to passenger safety and public confidence in air travel.
According to CNA, 26-year-old Liu Ming pleaded guilty to one charge of theft after attempting to take a passenger’s bag during an overnight flight from Dubai to Singapore on August 7–8.
The court heard that Liu was financially backed by a criminal syndicate and deliberately booked flight SQ495 to target passengers carrying high-value items. His intended victim was a 52-year-old Azerbaijani man seated several rows ahead of him, while the man’s wife was seated just in front of Liu. None of the parties knew one another.
In the early hours of August 8, after the cabin lights were dimmed and most passengers were resting, Liu opened the overhead compartment above the victim’s seat and removed the carry-on bag. He then brought it back to his own row while cabin crew were in the galley behind the curtains.
The victim’s wife noticed the suspicious act and questioned Liu, asking whether the bag belonged to him. Unable to understand his reply, she alerted cabin crew. Liu then quietly returned the bag to the overhead bin and went back to his seat.
When questioned by crew members, Liu falsely claimed he had mistaken the bag for his own. Subsequent checks revealed that nothing had been stolen, despite the luggage containing valuables worth more than S$100,000, including cash, cigars, a Huawei laptop and luxury watches from Chopard and Audemars Piguet.
Liu was arrested upon arrival at Changi Airport. Prosecutors said he remained uncooperative, repeatedly insisting it was an innocent mistake, even though his own bag — visibly different in appearance and material — was stored directly above his seat.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Cheah Wenjie urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence, highlighting the broader risks posed by inflight thefts. He warned that a rise in such crimes could damage the reputation of Singapore Airlines and undermine confidence in Singapore’s tourism industry.
The court agreed, noting the difficulty of detecting thefts in-flight, as passengers cannot constantly watch their belongings and cabin crew cannot monitor every area at all times. Liu was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment. Under Singapore law, theft carries a maximum penalty of three years’ jail, a fine, or both.
