A passenger who flew from Kuala Lumpur to Penang on 24 September landed at Penang International Airport, opened his backpack and found that RM60,000 in cash was gone, police said.
The 54-year-old man lodged a report after landing, and the Southwest district police opened an investigation (Malay Mail). He told police he believed a foreign national travelling on the same flight had taken the money.
“The complainant suspects a foreign man who was on the same flight was involved in the incident,” South-west district police chief Assistant Commissioner Anuwal Ab Wahab said. “Based on the report, the complainant realised that the cash, which he had kept in a backpack, was missing after he arrived at Penang International Airport,” he said in a statement on Friday, The Star reported.
Anuwal said police have obtained information on the passengers and are examining closed-circuit television footage to establish the suspect’s movements after the aircraft touched down. Efforts to track down the individual are ongoing.
The case is being investigated under Section 379 of the Penal Code, the punishment for theft. Under Section 378, theft covers taking movable property out of another person’s possession without that person’s consent and with intent to take it dishonestly. A conviction under Section 379 carries a jail term of up to seven years, a fine, or both.
Theft on board aircraft is not new on the route. In December 2024, the Balik Pulau Magistrates’ Court fined two Chinese nationals a total of RM5,700 for stealing more than RM5,500 from two Malaysians during a flight from Penang to Kuala Lumpur, The Star reported. In February 2025, a 52-year-old foreign national was arrested for rifling through a passenger’s bag on a flight from Subang to Penang, with no valuables taken, Malay Mail reported.
It is the second suspected theft aboard an aircraft reported in the district within a week. On 17 September, police received a report of an attempted theft on board a flight arriving in Penang.
A 55-year-old Chinese national detained over that case was charged at the Balik Pulau Magistrates’ Court on 25 September under Section 379 read together with Section 511 of the Penal Code, which covers attempting to commit an offence punishable by imprisonment.
Anuwal advised the public to keep personal belongings, especially cash and valuables, secure and under constant supervision when travelling, including during flights. He also urged the public not to speculate on the cases in ways that could affect the police investigation.
