Saigon motorbike taxi drivers arrested for robbing phone from foreigner

Huynh Huu Hien, 47, and Nguyen Thanh Liem, 51, who work as motorbike taxi drivers in District 1, hit upon a plan under which they would work together to approach foreigners who appear to be drunk, offer them a low-cost ride to their destination and wait for an opportunity to rob them.

Around 3 a.m. last Saturday, as Hien was driving around in District 1, he saw a drunk Filipino man standing alone near the corner of Hai Ba Trung and Ly Tu Trong streets.

Hien offered to take the man to his place for VND20,000 (less than a dollar) and the Filipino agreed.

Around half the way to the agreed destination, for reasons as yet unclear, the Filipino decided to get off the motorbike. Hien detained him and called Liem for help.

The two then forcibly took an iPhone 12 Pro Max from the foreigner.

They sold the phone for VND9 million ($400) and split the money, police said, adding that they are continuing to investigate the robbery.