Hong Kong logs 169 cases of theft on inbound flights, losses reach HK$4.32 million
Security chief Chris Tang vows to crack down on surge of in-flight thefts, as figures for first 10 months surpass boom years of 2018 and 2019
Hong Kong recorded 169 cases of in-flight thefts involving HK$4.32 million (US$555,050) worth of valuables in the first 10 months of 2024, exceeding the annual number of reports in each of the tourism boom years of 2018 and 2019.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said on Wednesday the city only logged 103 cases in 2018 and 147 cases in 2019, as he responded to a question by lawmaker Kennedy Wong Ying-ho over the sharp increase in thefts on board flights into the city.
Tang said the rise in cases could be related to increased efforts to urge members of the public to file reports.
“The number of theft cases on board aircraft has also recorded a significant increase in 2024, which might be due to the fact that the police have stepped up publicity to encourage more people to report crimes, or the overall economic situation,” he said.
Hong Kong reported 92 cases in 2023, its first year without Covid-19 travel restrictions.
Tang said 70 per cent of the thefts in the first 10 months of this year were on short-haul flights arriving from countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, India and Vietnam.
