Tran Van Tien (C), the ringleader of a snatching gang in Da Nang, and his two accomplices are seen in police custody with the motorbikes used in their crimes. Photo: H.B.
The Criminal Police Division under the municipal Department of Public Security said on Thursday that officers had detained Tran Van Tien, believed to be the ringleader, along with Do Phuong Thach and Le Van Thai Nguyen.
All three are residents of Lanh Ngoc Commune in Da Nang.
Tien and Thach have a previous conviction for snatching offenses.
Their arrests followed an investigation launched by city authorities after they received reports of several thefts.
The gang reportedly targeted tourists at popular attractions across the city, with a focus on foreign nationals.
On August 28, they snatched a handbag containing US$1,500, VND15 million ($570), and 30,000 won ($33) from a South Korean tourist on Nguyen Huu Thong Street.
On September 1, they stole a handbag from G.B., a 54-year-old female tourist from Kazakhstan, at an intersection in An Hai Ward.
The bag contained a mobile phone worth about VND18 million ($681) along with an undisclosed amount of foreign currency.
The gang also robbed a 22-year-old woman, D.T.T., from Ho Chi Minh City on August 31, taking VND8.3 million ($314) and her personal documents.
After each robbery, the group reportedly took the valuables, discarded the handbags, and exchanged any foreign currency for cash at local gold shops.
Police seized two motorbikes used in the thefts along with other evidence.
Investigators said Tien had fled to Quang Tri Province after the robberies in Da Nang.
He was apprehended on Thursday while traveling southbound on a long-haul bus headed for Ho Chi Minh City.
Based on Tien’s statements, officers later detained Thach and Nguyen that same day.
The suspects are currently being held in criminal detention while the investigation continues, according to city police.
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