Police in Dong Nai Province, southern Vietnam have decided to initiate legal proceedings and temporarily detain two Iranians who pretended to inquire about the value of Vietnamese banknotes to subsequently steal VND70 million (US$2,752) from four local individuals.

The decision was applied on Thursday to Mirzazadeh Sajjad, 31, and Taherabadi Hamzeh, 42, both Iranian nationals, for further investigation into the theft.

According to the initial investigation, Sajjad and Hamzeh are suspects in a series of recent robberies in Bien Hoa City and Vinh Cuu District, Dong Nai Province.

Police have determined that the two suspects employed a tactic in which they pretended to ask about the value of Vietnamese bills ranging from VND1,000 ($0.039) to VND500,000 ($19.66). 

The victims, believing the foreigners were unfamiliar with the local currency, would then take out money to explain the value.

While Sajjad communicated with the victims in both foreign languages and Vietnamese, Hamzeh waited in their car outside. 

Sajjad then handed the victim a $1 bill and used distraction tactics with both words and gestures to cause them to lose focus.

As soon as the victim put their guard down, Sajjad quickly seized most of the money and escaped in the car.

Using this scheme, between December 4 and 9, Sajjad and Hamzeh stole money totaling more than VND70 million from four individuals in Bien Hoa and Vinh Cuu.

One of the victims, L.X.T., a 53-year-old resident of Thanh Phu Commune in Vinh Cuu District, had VND50 million ($1,966) stolen by the suspects.

The Dong Nai Department of Public Security have notified the victims to contact its investigatve police agency to provide further information and receive support.

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