The arrest followed a report from a 39-year-old man who claimed he had lost a bank card, a Rolex watch, and cash, South China Morning Post reported.
The victim stated that he had boarded a flight from Da Nang to Hong Kong, where he placed the items inside a handbag and stowed it in an overhead baggage compartment.
Upon landing in Hong Kong, he discovered that his belongings were missing. Airport officials were alerted and promptly reported the incident to the police.
At the time, all passengers had boarded a bus on the tarmac, as reported by Cable News.
Police officers arrived on the scene and located the missing items hidden under a mat on the luggage rack of the bus. Several witnesses identified the suspect to the police.
One female passenger told authorities that she saw the man cover the stolen items with felt and then take them away, Hong Kong’s Headline Daily news site reported.
The suspect, who holds a Chinese passport, was arrested for theft. Police are continuing to investigate the incident.