On 5/8, Tan Ky Commune Police handed Trung, 33, over to the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division for investigation of property theft, under Article 173 of the Penal Code.

Suspect Trung (second from left), at the time of his arrest. Photo: Hoa Vang

Suspect Trung (second from left), at the time of his arrest. Photo: Hoa Vang

The investigation revealed that in late 2020, Trung was invited by Tran Van Duy, 35, to burglarize the home of a female director in Go Vap District. Also involved were Truong Van Kha, Phan Minh Luong, Nguyen Tien Loi, and two others.

In the early morning of 22/12/2020, the group gathered at Luong's house in Tan Binh District to get masks, gloves, and fake license plates before heading to the scene. Kha, Luong, and Loi were assigned to enter the house while Trung and Duy acted as lookouts.

The group stole a laptop and a safe containing cash, foreign currency, and jewelry (total value exceeding 2 billion VND).

That afternoon, the homeowner discovered the theft and reported it to the police. Duy, Kha, Luong, and Loi were subsequently arrested; Trung escaped.

Following a warrant, in early August, Tan Ky Commune Police located Trung hiding in a motel room in Rach Dua Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, and arrested him.

In late 2023, Duy was sentenced to 13 years in prison by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court; the other defendants received sentences ranging from 3 to 16 years for property theft and handling stolen goods.

Duc Hung