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5 arrested for robbing Malaysian tourists in HCMC

By The Vinh, TN News

Wednesday, August 24, 2016 11:33

The Ho Chi Minh City police said Tuesday they have arrested a five-member robbery gang that allegedly targeted foreign tourists.

The men had been caught Sunday immediately after robbing nearly 4,000 ringgit (VND21 million) from three Malaysian tourists in a restaurant in District 5.

Among the arrested are Nguyen Van Thanh, 47, the alleged ring leader, and Chau Thi Huyen, 16.

According to the police, Thanh and Huyen were riding near 23/9 Park in the downtown area Sunday evening when they spotted three Malaysian tourists.
Huyen approached the men and lured them to the restaurant for "dinner, massage and fun."

When they were eating in a private room, Thanh and his three accomplices burst in and robbed them.

The four men and the girl were arrested when they were about to leave the restaurant, the police said.

The police did not divulge how they arrived at the scene in time or if the restaurant or its employees were complicit in the crime.

They suspect the gang has committed many similar robberies.