A Vietnamese court has given jail terms of up to three years and a half to two Singaporean nationals for stealing luxury branded handbags from high-end trade centers in Ho Chi Minh City.

The People’s Court of Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday sentenced Shawn Han Sxe Siang, 42, and Loh Si Yu, 25, to 3.5 and three years in prison, respectively, for theft.

They were arrested in August last year after stealing seven handbags of famous brands from large trade centers and shops in the city.

They told the court that their challenging living conditions in Singapore had driven them to steal expensive handbags in Ho Chi Minh City and bring them back to Singapore for resale.

At the hearing, Shawn and Loh expressed repentance and remorse, apologized to local authorities and the victims, and asked the court to give them light sentences so that they could soon return to their families.

The two earned university degrees in Singapore and before their arrest, Shawn was an engineer while Loh worked as a salesperson, according to investigators.

According to Vietnamnet, they arrived in the city on August 6, 2023. That evening, they visited Marc Jacobs, a luxury fashion shop in downtown District 1, and stole a handbag worth over VND6 million (US$235.4).

To successfully carry out the theft, Loh engaged the shop's sales assistants by asking questions about various handbags, diverting their attention and creating opportunities for Shawn to steal.

Using this same tactic, the two continued their shoplifting spree at local trade centers and shops over the next few days.

On August 9, 2023, after stealing a Louis Vuitton bag worth VND36 million ($1,413) from a store at the Union Square Shopping Center in District 1, the two were detected and detained by a security guard of the center, who then handed them over to local police.

The Singaporeans stole seven luxury handbags in total from August 6 to 9, police officers said after searching their hotel room, where they hid the stolen items.

The total value of the stolen handbags, which include well-known brands such as Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Gucci Deco, and others, was estimated to exceed VND102 million ($4,000).

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