On 15/9, Kiet, Nguyen Tuan Hung, and Ha Kim Bao (all 17) were arrested by Ho Chi Minh City police for robbery.
A 15-year-old was also involved in the case.
On the afternoon of 6/9, PNJ staff on Au Co street, Tan Hoa ward, set up an offering table with fruits, candy, sticky rice, sweet soup, and money for the hungry ghost festival. As they lit incense, Kiet's group arrived on motorbikes.
Two of the teens rode onto the sidewalk, grabbed the stainless steel table, scattering the offerings, and sped away towards the Au Co – Lac Long Quan intersection. The incident was captured on the store's security camera.
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Mai Anh Kiet (left), Ha Kim Bao, and Nguyen Tuan Hung at the police station. Photo: Police Department |
Kiet's group confessed to stealing offerings, but decided to steal tables after seeing others profit from selling them. They stole another table the following day.
According to investigators, the stolen table belonged to the company and had been purchased 7 to 8 years prior, when the store opened. It was fully depreciated, with no purchase records remaining. The 200,000 VND cash offering was recovered.
Ho Chi Minh City police warn against exploiting the hungry ghost festival tradition for theft. Such acts disrupt public order and are subject to criminal prosecution.
Parents and schools are urged to educate children about the law to prevent them from being exploited.
Quoc Thang
