On the evening of July 3, Da Lat City Police (Lam Dong) announced that they had just broken up a pickpocket gang of 6 suspects from Dong Nai who came to Da Lat to steal wallets and phones from tourists at tourist attractions.
Le Thi Thu Ba reenacts the theft of a tourist's wallet at a specialty store.
Previously, at noon on July 2, Da Lat City Police continuously received reports that many tourists had lost their phones and wallets while visiting Da Lat. Under the direction of the leaders of Lam Dong Provincial Police and Da Lat City Police, from noon on July 2, dozens of detective teams from the Criminal Police Team and the Economic Police Team (Da Lat City Police) were mobilized and disguised to go to tourist areas and spots to follow suspicious subjects.
In just 2 days, a group of thieves stole dozens of cell phones from tourists.
Meanwhile, the police of the wards received reports, collected information describing the true identities of the suspects from the victims, and coordinated with tourist areas and shop owners to check security cameras to isolate the suspects.
Based on the intelligence information, on the evening of July 2, near the City Flower Garden area, a criminal investigation team caught Phan Van Lam (48 years old, living in Dong Nai) red-handed when he received a phone and wallet from his "colleagues" who were thieves in the group.
Immediately afterwards, other detectives simultaneously arrested five other suspects in the pickpocketing group, including: Le Thi Bach Tuyet (44 years old), Le Thi Thu Ba (50 years old), Thai Van Hiep (48 years old), Hoang Anh Duy (59 years old) and Le Thanh Hai (37 years old), all residing in Dong Nai province.
Le Thi Bach Tuyet, the mastermind behind the theft of tourists' property
Through the investigation, Da Lat police identified Thu Ba, Bach Tuyet and Hiep as the three suspects who played the role of masterminds and leaders of the “thieves” group. The police force determined that most of the “thieves” had criminal records related to property theft and drug crimes.
According to initial statements, from July 1, this group moved from Thong Nhat district (Dong Nai) to Da Lat to "practice" by mingling in tourist attractions and shops crowded with tourists to pickpocket and snatch phones from tourists.
The group’s scenario was that Thu Ba and Bach Tuyet would act as tourists, looking for “prey” and approaching them to steal their belongings. Hiep was assigned to stand guard and handle the “situation” when discovered. Duy would receive the belongings that Ba and Tuyet stole from tourists and bring them to Lam for safekeeping. Hai was tasked with driving and observing the situation.
On July 1 and 2 alone, this group of “thieves” committed dozens of thefts of wallets and phones. The police seized evidence including: 1 car, 26 phones, 1 handbag and 50 million VND from the suspects.
Currently, the Da Lat City Police are continuing to investigate and expand the case. The police request that anyone who is a victim of this gang of thieves come to the police station to report it for resolution.
