After stealing more than 1 billion dong in Vinh Long, suspect heads to Mui Ne for a getaway

A 19-year-old suspect allegedly stole gold jewelry and cash worth more than 1 billion Vietnamese dong in Vinh Long, then traveled across several provinces before renting a car for a getaway in Mui Ne.

Police said the theft was reported on the morning of Aug. 27 by T.T.L., 55, a resident of Ngai Tu Commune. The intruder had forced open a cabinet and taken a large quantity of jewelry and cash. Investigators had little information about the suspect, but identified Thach Hung after noticing unusual signs involving his assets and learning that he had left his residence soon after the burglary.

The Criminal Police Division formed several reconnaissance teams to trace Hung across different localities. On the afternoon of Sept. 4, officers located him in Mui Ne Ward, in Lam Dong Province, arrested him and transferred him to Vinh Long.

Police searches of Hung and his rented room in Ho Chi Minh City found a necklace weighing more than one tael of gold, a black Honda Vario motorbike, an iPhone 15, an iPhone 17 and a bracelet whose weight had not been determined. An urgent search of his home in Ngai Tu recovered a 24-karat gold necklace weighing 40 chi, three 24-karat gold rings weighing five chi and an 18-karat gold bracelet weighing eight chi.

Investigators said Hung sold some of the jewelry for more than 200 million dong, bought gold jewelry and a scooter, and moved through several provinces to evade police. He later rented a car to travel to Mui Ne. Vinh Long’s police director awarded the Criminal Police Division 20 million dong and issued certificates of merit to officers involved. The provincial investigative police agency is continuing to complete the case file for handling under the law.