HCM City’s Police Investigation Agency reported on Friday that they have detained seven Iran nationals and a Malta national for further investigation concerning property appropriation.

These men were deemed by the Vietnamese police to be amongst a ring of property thieves on the streets of HCM City and other southern provinces, the online Vietnamplus reported.

According to investigative policemen, on Tuesday, two Iran nationals were caught pretending to change cash with a Vietnamese woman on the street and robbing VNĐ1.5 million (US$70) from her.

The two men were Hosseinopur Fathehsari, 35, and  Jabari Alireza, 31. Both were residents at Hoàng Anh Gia Lai residential building in Nhà Bè District.

From their testimony, investigators arrested six others believed to be members of the theft ring.   

Initial investigation revealed the thieves were moving by car or motorcycle and travelling in groups. They chose to commit their crimes at grocery stores or roadside lottery shops. When approaching victims, the thieves pretended to want to buy goods, or lottery, paid by big-denomination currency, then offered victims to exchange with small-denomination currency.

Taking advantage of the language barrier, a member of the group pretended to snatch victim’s purse, and another thief sought how to distract the victim, and yet another stole money from the victim. Then, the subjects returned the wallet to the victim and drove away. When checking the wallet, the victim always lost money.

Vietnamese police are investigating further. 

VNS