Asian traveller robbed mid flight

South African Airways passenger Warren Becker became one of the latest victims as he narrates how he was robbed while travelling from South Africa to Hong Kong.

In an interview with traveller 24, Becker narrated his horrific experience which he says ruined his holiday.

He said on route to his holiday, on board SAA flight 286 from Johannesburg to Hong Kong, he dosed off. When he woke, a fellow passenger told him to check his bags as she had seen people rummaging through it in the aircraft’s lavatory.

“When I checked my bag, which was locked for extra security, I found the lock broken and foreign currency as well as some extremely valuable jewellery had been stolen”. Becker says he had a total of roughly R30 000 stolen from his bag – $1 200 and £420.

“They left all the South African Rands as well as my camera, as if to make it look like nothing was taken,” he told Traveller24.

When the SAA flight landed in Hong Kong, local police authorities came on board and “a search was done on certain passengers”, Becker says.

But Becker says he believes there were more than one or two criminals involved in the “syndicate”, and that the police “found nothing on the suspects because they were working together and handing the stolen goods around”.

He says the cash stolen out of his bag was all of his spending money for the holiday. “I had to make use of my credit card, and now I have to pay back the bank. I also borrowed money from my girlfriend. It ruined my holiday.”

Becker opened a criminal case in Hong Kong, and contacted SAA regarding the matter, but is yet to receive any feedback from the latter.

According to South China Morning Post, the stolen goods on in-flight robberies predominately include cash, jewellery and smartphones.

Traveller have been advised to be careful as over the past five years, reported cases of this mile high criminal activity have more than doubled.

Travellers aboard need to be extra wary as suspects more than likely sit on the back row of the plane watching for the ideal opportunity.

They are said to systematically pull the bags from the overhead lockers, while passengers rest or watch movies.

Bags are then pilfered at the back of the plane for valuable contents.

International airlines are allegedly targeted, with “lenient penalties” making it worth the risk.

Business tech advised people not to travel with cash,  and if in doubt, wear or keep any valuables on you. Better yet, leave valuables behind when you travel.

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