In November, a mainland Chinese passenger on an Etihad flight from Abu Dhabi to Hong Kong was arrested for taking credit cards out of another passenger’s luggage which was stored in an overhead bin.
The woman woke up to find the suspect holding her bag and two of her credit cards placed on a seat…the witness alerted the aircrew after he saw the suspect take something out of his trouser pocket and place it on the seat, with the item turning out to be three credit cards wrapped in a piece of tissue paper…The suspect, reportedly a truck driver from mainland China, was arrested on suspicion of theft and was detained as part of police’s investigation.
Then, two weeks ago, a passenger on another Abu Dhabi to Hong Kong flight reported that a passenger was arrested for theft.
Before disembarkation, we were all asked to check our belongings, and I realised that 2 of my 6 cards had been stolen from my bag in the overhead compartment. When I spoke with the police afterwards, they found one of my cards, but I was still left without full access to my own cards while travelling.I later learned that one of the other affected passengers lost a watch worth around $150,000. From the pattern of bags that were tampered with, and from what I personally experienced in my own row, I strongly believe there were 5 or 6 people operating together on this flight. The man seated behind me in 32C kept pushing on my seat, which I now understand was likely to normalise that sensation for me while his friend in 32B moved in and out throughout the night.
Now, another report from the Etihad Abu Dhabi to Hong Kong flight:
On today's Etihad flight to HK (EY870): Cabin rat (Thief) diamond heist? Foreigner loses gems, police arrest mainland passengers. Passenger reckons thieves scoped the manifest for targets. do you lock valuables in-flight or trust overhead? pic.twitter.com/nFUpryVbht
— Fahad Naim (@Fahadnaimb) December 26, 2025
This follows the arrest of three passengers in July for theft on a flight to Hong Kong.
Passengers do steal from bags in overhead bins especially when the cabin is dark and most people are sleeping. Even flight attendants steal from passengers and so does security. Yet we let anyone who wishes pick up any bag from baggage claim and just walk out.
But it sure seems like a specific route and destination are coming up quite often.
Credit cards stay in wallet in my pocket. Bags in bins that have camera in it have a lock on it. Not a tsa lock bit a real one. It they want to. Steal my Kit Kat and underwear the go for it
I also have a tracker in all bags
This Etihad flight is the Chungking Mansions Express. It’s the cheapest way to connect to HK for those folks.
I never put laptop bag (w important documents and also wallet if I decide to not have it in my pocket for comfort on longer flights) at my seat. Some J have no place to store them. In that case I put in overhead for take off then Immediately get it down where it stays w me for the duration of the flight until I store it again for landing.
I’m not a paranoid person but sometimes better to be safe