Macau has seen an increase in the number of in-flight thefts, with the Judiciary Police (PJ) having received 27 in-flight theft cases between January and August, resulting in a total 1.2 million patacas in losses, according to a PJ statement yesterday.
The Judiciary Police, together with Macau International Airport Company Limited (CAM) and Air Macau, launched on Tuesday an awareness-raising campaign on “Preventing In-flight Theft”, with the aim of raising crime prevention awareness among locals and tourists alike, while also urging them to take proper precautions against theft, jointly safeguarding the safety of airports and flights.
The statement quoted PJ Deputy Director Sou Sio Keong as saying that the total number of in-flight thefts reported to the Judiciary Police between January and August was already close to the level of the same period in pre-pandemic 2019, adding that the PJ analysis showed that the onboard thieves - colloquially known as “jet rats” – usually lurk among the passengers on flights and work individually or in groups to steal valuables from luggage racks or seats while passengers are asleep or away from their seats.
The statement also quoted Sou as pointing out that it was necessary to enhance passengers’ awareness of the need to take precautions, deepen communication and cooperation between the police and the civil aviation sector and to strengthen law enforcement efforts to effectively curb in-flight theft, adding that measures including the launch of an anti-theft publicity video on board flights and the placing of anti-theft leaflets in Chinese, Portuguese and English on the backs of cabin seats will soon be available in order to raise passengers’ anti-theft awareness.
This photo provided by the Judiciary Police (PJ) yesterday shows PJ Deputy Director Sou Sio Keong delivering a speech during Tuesday’s awareness-raising campaign themed “Preventing In-flight Theft”, at a gathering with the local aviation sector.
