Police quickly arrest Vietnamese actor for stealing Mexican beauty queen’s handbag in Da Lat

Police in Lam Dong said on Saturday that they had promptly identified and detained 25-year-old Nguyen Lam Thai, an actor taking part in the fest at Lam Vien Square, as the suspect.

The 30-year-old beauty queen reported to police early on Saturday that her bag went missing while she was attending the festival’s opening art program on Friday evening.

The bag contained credit cards, a camera, around VND40 million (US$1,500) in cash, and some personal items, she said.

Just 10 hours after receiving the report, officers from the province’s Xuan Huong Ward arrested Thai for questioning.

At the police station, Thai confessed to the theft and returned all the stolen items to Michelle.

Upon receiving her belongings, the beauty queen thanked the authorities for their quick and effective response.

Lam Dong police said they would continue investigating the case and handle it according to the law.

Before his arrest, Thai, a former student of Ho Chi Minh City University of Theater and Cinema, was recognized as a multi-talented figure in the arts and media, according to Lao Dong (Labor) newspaper.

He worked as an actor, director, content producer, artistic consultant, and talent manager, helping shape the public image of several beauty queens and pageant winners.

In 2022, he was named a ‘Global Vietnamese Student Ambassador’ by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

Thai was also active in charity work and had served as a judge, consultant, and director for various beauty contests and cultural events in Vietnam.