Police called to airport after passengers complain of midflight thefts

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Midflight thefts on the rise

Two passengers on a South African Airways plane landing at a Hong Kong airport alerted cabin crew that they had “lost their valuables” in air. In-air thefts have been on the rise, with reports of stolen items having doubled in the past five years.

Police were called to meet a South African Airways plane landing at a Hong Kong airport after several passengers complained that their valuables had been stolen during the flight, The Telegraph reports.

According to the publication, two passengers on the 13-hour flight from Johannesburg alerted cabin crew that they had “lost their valuables” in air.

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“One of the complainants was able to point out a few passengers who had behaved in a suspicious manner in the cabin and who were seen opening some overhead compartments while other passengers were sleeping,” the spokesperson, Tlali Tlali, said to The Telegraph.

The spokesperson said police boarded the aircraft after it landed and searched the suspects — but nothing was found.

“The rest of the passengers disembarked and the suspects identified were ordered to remain in the aircraft and were searched by the police in Hong Kong,” Tlali told TravelMole.

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The missing items were later found on the aircraft by cleaning staff and returned to the owners. It is unclear where on the plane the items were discovered.

In-air thefts have been on the rise, with reports of stolen items having doubled in the past five years. Stolen items typically include cash, cameras and jewelry, as well as credit cards.

Authorities have previously explained that thieves “scout” their victims before boarding and then place their own luggage in the same overhead bins as those they have targeted, The Telegraph reports.

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However, Hong Kong officials, where in-air thefts are particularly common, have announced crime has fallen significantly since passengers have started to keep closer tabs on their carry-on luggage.