Credit thieves caught buying iPhones with stolen card

Nguyen Thi Kieu Phuong, 32, visited a phone shop on Nguyen Van Linh Street in Hai Chau District that afternoon.

By then, she was already under surveillance by a police task force.

Phuong bought five iPhone 15 Promax phones, but officers arrested her immediately after she paid for them using a credit card.

She confessed that the card was stolen.

She also gave police a list of her accomplices, Tran Canh Khuong, 30, Nguyen Huu Khanh Vy, 34 and Hanh Chanh Gia Thanh Quang, 26.

All three other suspects were arrested on Friday.

Nguyen Huu Khanh Vy (L) and Hanh Chanh Gia Thanh Quang have been arrested allegedly for credit card theft. Photo by Da Nang police

The four are under investigation for property theft.

Police have been following the group for a while now.

Khuong works at a spa in Hai Chau District and often takes advantage of inattentive customers to steal their credit cards.

The four also said they usually entice men to book hotels rooms they recommend. Once the victims arrive at the businesses, the crooks use their familiarity with the place to steal their cards.

Phuong is allegedly usually tasked with using stolen cards to buy gold and phones and handle all transactions of the group's money, or "credit."

According to a preliminary investigation, the group has stolen at least VND330 million (US$13,600) from different people.