Foreigner held for allegedly stealing Rolex watch, Louis Vuitton bag in Da Nang

The Criminal Police Division under the Da Nang Department of Public Security said on Sunday that 39-year-old Enola Lugai, a Russian, has been placed in detention pending an investigation into alleged property theft, according to the department's website.

Earlier, at around 7:30 am on August 8, the city's police received a report from Dien Ban Dong Ward police about a theft at the Wyndham Hotel in the ward.

The victim, identified as A.K.A., 50, a Saudi Arabian national staying at the hotel, reported that a thief had broken into his accommodation and stolen a Rolex wristwatch, a Louis Vuitton shoulder bag, Bvlgari sunglasses, and a Hapas handbag, the website said.

The total value of the stolen items was reported to be more than VND500 million ($19,125).

After a day of investigation, police identified Lugai as the suspect and found that she was staying at a hotel in Da Nang's Hai Chau Ward.

The Russian woman was detained at around 9:30 pm on August 9 and taken to the police station for questioning.

She told police that she had previously entered Vietnam and lived in the Hoi An area in Da Nang.

After leaving the country, she re-entered Vietnam on July 29 and stayed near Da Nang's An Bang Beach.

Lugai said she decided to steal valuables because she had no job and no money left for living expenses.

At around 2:00 am on August 8, she walked from the An Bang Beach area to the Wyndham Hotel, entered the hotel's villa area, and opened the doors of several villas in search of valuables.

After stealing the items, Lugai took a vehicle to downtown Da Nang to hide and look for ways to sell them, but was detained before she could do so.