The People’s Procuracy of Hanoi has charged a Sri Lankan man under Article 173, Clause 1 of the Penal Code for stealing property.
According to the report, Aruna Rukshan Rajapakshage, 42, entered Vietnam through Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on March 1, 2020, and traveled to several localities across the country in search of work.
On October 11, 2022, he was wandering the streets of Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem district, intending to steal other people’s property. At around 8:00 pm that day, Rajapakshage entered Annam restaurant at 17 Hang Muoi street, Ly Thai To ward, where he found a black leather handbag with 13 million VND (545 USD) inside. He stole the bag and fled.
When Nguyen Dieu Linh, an employee of the restaurant and the owner of the bag, noticed the theft, she immediately called for help. The Sri Lankan man was later apprehended with the aid of local residents and handed over to the police of Ly Thai To ward. Nguyen Dieu Linh retrieved her bag and requested that the local authorities handle the case according to regulations.
Vietnamese people often turn a blind eye to the many ignorant and inappropriate things foreigners do in their country, but the authorities won’t hesitate to punish those they perceive to be threats to social norms and/or the existing power structure.