Saigon airport employee caught stealing $1,400 from Japanese passenger

An employee at Tan Son Nhat International Airport has returned $1,400 he pinched from a Japanese passenger's bag following a swift investigation by the airport's security unit.

The security center at the airport said on Thursday that the theft had been handled.

The center received a complaint after midnight last Sunday from the Japanese passenger who said some money had gone missing from his bag after he left it on a baggage cart, Tuoi Tre newpaper reported.

Camera footage captured an airport driver, only identified as N.V.H., stealing the money.

The culprit said he had taken nearly $1,400 worth of dollar and yen notes from the bag before putting it back on the cart.

The money was returned to Matsumoto Masaya on Monday night.

Vietnamese airports have become notorious for baggage thefts and extortion complaints in recent years, especially at the country’s biggest airports, Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat.

Aviation authorities have pledged to fix the problem by installing more cameras and enhancing security checks.

There has also been uplifting news.

In August, security officers at Tan Son Nhat returned a bag containing two smartphones and more than $17,000 to an American man who left it on the baggage carousel.

In March, workers at international airports in Da Nang and Hanoi also returned more than $25,500 to forgetful passengers.