petermac33 said...
From a well travelled friend :
I have heard of similar cases several times reported by different
passengers in the internet. Worth paying attention inflight.
True event (we know the guy who wrote this).
I would like to draw your attention to my experience of THEFT on a
flight into Hong Kong last week.
With an hour left on board, thought I noticed my bag being displaced
in the overhead locker......I wasn't sure and decided it was probably
a fellow passenger, moving it to access their own bag.
I dismissed any thought of any wrong doing, but upon arrival in HK,
something told to me to retrieve the bag, just to make sure nothing
suspicious had occurred. When I opened the overhead locker (not above
me) and saw my leather bag was the only one occupying the space I
knew there was a problem.
I examined the content, only to find all of my wife's jewelry, along
with some cash had been stolen, during the flight.
I raised the alarm and my wife and I quickly blocked both aisles to
stop anyone at the back of the plane disembarking....there were
around 120 passengers....
My wife and I both shouted for assistance from the stewards and
stewardesses.
Eventually a steward told me that security had been called but
passengers were becoming very agitated and unwilling to show patience
or understanding....they just wanted to get off the plane....my wife
and I were the only people controlling the passengers.
I pleaded with the passengers to check their own bags at which point
three fellow travelers reported they had also been robbed.
It was only at this point, did I see any evidence from the cabin crew
that they were willing to provide any meaningful support.
I vaguely remember seeing a passenger wearing black, sporting a white
base-ball cap and pleaded with the rest of the passengers to see if
they could remember anyone fitting my description.
It turned out to be a passenger standing in front of me, who by now
had been identified, proceeded to offload money, jewelry, camera
equipment, iPads, and false documents, running into tens of thousand,
if not hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stolen goods.
By this time security had boarded the plane, the Captain had been
informed and was standing in the rear section watching the events unfold.
Eventually a policeman boarded the plane and I was able to explain
the events leading up to my apprehending the thief.
I have since been informed this criminal activity is reaching
epidemic proportions and the authorities caught three thieves, just
last week, (with 30 already on remand since early December) on
flights into HK, with all the criminals coming from the same town in
China.
It is estimated that only 5% are being caught judging by the reports
of passengers contacting the police after they have arrived at their
destination.
They sit at the back rows of the plane observing where bags are, and
if they're uploaded at behind or away from the passengers. They
systematically pull them from the overhead lockers, while passengers
rest or watch movies, take them to the back of the plane and process
the valuable contents.
They prey on foreign airlines as the penalties are lenient, the
pay-off makes it worth the risk.
I naively have never thought of robbers operating on planes, but now
I have experienced it first hand, there are a few takeaways:
1. Hand luggage should ALWAYS be locked.
2. Do not assume luggage under your seat is safe....last week one
passenger had her purse stolen by the guy sitting next to her while
she slept!
3. If in doubt, wear or keep any valuables ON YOU at all times!
4. Don't assume, like me, that everyone on a flight is a law-abiding
citizen.
5. Do not assume business class travel is secure....robbers can seem
"wealth off".
how did the captain get to the back of the plane...
were they flying garuda...?
) and wads of cash in the overhead locker . . . NOT !!! Sounds like an urban legend , mate. I'd bet my left one on it 
, J
....Realllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllly
