Nguyen Quoc Tuan, 35, received a 14-year prison sentence for property theft from the An Giang Provincial People's Court on 29/12/2024. The court also ordered him to compensate the victim 240 million VND for the unrecovered assets.

Nguyen Quoc Tuan at court today. *Tien Tam*

The elaborate theft occurred in the early morning of 22/1/2024, when Tuan, a hotel guest, climbed from his first-floor balcony to an adjacent phone store. He cut through the corrugated roof and ceiling before rappelling inside to steal 66 iPhones.

According to the indictment, Tuan's plan began from 19/1 to 22/1/2024. He used another person's identity card to rent a hotel room on Tran Hung Dao Street, My Phuoc Ward, Long Xuyen City (now Long Xuyen Ward). His primary objective was to observe the work patterns of the adjacent phone store.

After more than three days of meticulous observation, Tuan executed his plan in the early morning of 22/1/2024. Wearing gloves and a mask, and carrying pliers, he climbed from the hotel's first-floor balcony to the store. He then cut the corrugated roof, broke through the ceiling, and used a rope to descend into the premises.

Tuan stole 66 iPhones, one microphone, and one used wireless earphone, with a total value exceeding 635 million VND. Following the theft, he sold 33 phones and the accessories, while hiding the remaining items at his residence.

Around 8 a.m., store employees arrived for work. They noticed signs of a break-in and quickly discovered the missing assets. The incident was reported to the authorities, triggering an immediate investigation.

On 24/1/2024, police conducted a search of Tuan's residence in Vi Thuy District, Hau Giang Province (now Vinh Thuan Dong Commune, Can Tho City). During the search, officers seized 33 mobile phones and other related evidence, leading to Tuan's arrest and subsequent prosecution.

*An Minh - Tien Tam*