Passengers traveling through Narita International Airport are greeted by airport and airline representatives who hand out Manga leaflets suggesting preventative measures for in-flight thefts. This is part of a collaboration with airlines and Chiba Prefecture police to address increased incidents. As the Mainichi reports , the number of in-flight theft incidents, which abated during the pandemic, is rising again as more people travel.
The Chiba Prefectural Police Station at Narita Airport had handled 19 reports of in-flight thefts by the end of October 2024. At the same point in 2023, the police received seven such reports. Approximately 60% of the in-flight theft victims were Japanese men.
Thefts have been reported on flights to various North America and Asia destinations. In addition to theft reports, others have reported damage to their personal belongings. Thieves are replacing bills with currency of lower value Victims reported losing Japanese yen and US dollars, with one victim reporting 2.
07 million yen ($14,300) had been stolen. The currency was taken from their bags and stored in overhead bins. The Mainichi reports that crafty thieves are taking cash from victims' wallets and replacing the stolen bills with foreign currency of lower value to make the theft less obvious.
How they carried out this sleight of hand without being caught onboard remains unknown. However, most thefts are suspected to have occurred while the victims slept. The Manga stop-theft campaign at Nar.
