On 24/1, the Thanh Hoa Provincial Police Investigation Agency announced the indictment and temporary detention of Ngo Duc Thanh, 23, and Tran Minh Vu, 37, both residing in Ngu Hanh Son ward, Da Nang city, for property theft.

The two suspects are accused of stealing nearly 8 billion Vietnamese dong (VND) from a passenger bus traveling from Hanoi to Da Nang earlier this month.

According to authorities, on 9/1, Vo Dinh Tan, 57, a passenger bus driver on the Hanoi - Da Nang route and a resident of Da Nang city, reported a substantial theft during the transportation of goods. Tan stated that around 17h30 on the same day, he received two packages from a man at Giap Bat bus station in Hanoi, with instructions to deliver them to Da Nang. He then placed the packages at the back of the bus and continued his journey.

At 21h30, the bus made a stop at a restaurant on National Highway 1A, in Quang Binh commune, Thanh Hoa province. Upon returning to the vehicle, Tan discovered the two packages were gone. Upon contacting the intended recipient in Da Nang, the driver learned that the packages contained 7,85 billion VND in cash.

The Thanh Hoa Provincial Police Criminal Investigation Department launched an investigation and, after four days, identified Thanh and Vu as the perpetrators. Police recovered 7,5 billion VND, with the remaining amount reportedly used by the two suspects for personal expenses. The investigation is continuing to determine whether Thanh and Vu knew the packages contained cash before the theft.

Lam Son