Jang Jae Bin, a Canadian national, is sentenced to seven years in prison for robbery. Photo tuoitre.vn

HCM CITY — The HCM City People’s Court on Wednesday sentenced Jang Jae Bin, a Canadian national, to seven years in prison for stealing from two foreign tourists in Việt Nam.

At the first-instance trial, the court was told that Jang Jae Bin had lived in South Korea since childhood and moved to Canada with his family in 2008.

In early 2024, he entered Việt Nam through Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport as a tourist and stayed in an apartment in Long Thạnh Mỹ Ward, Thủ Đức City in HCM City.

Running out of money for personal expenses, Jang Jae Bin developed the idea of committing robbery.

On the afternoon of February 17, 2024, he rode a motorbike to Tân Phong Ward, District 7, searching for potential victims. When he spotted Alanna Beth Burke, also Canadian national, walking her dog, he threatened her with a knife, snatched her phone and fled before selling the stolen device.

A day later, Jang Jae Bin returned to District 7 and followed a man later identified as Wener Zimmer as he walked from a park to a tennis court. Jang engaged him in conversation and pretended to borrow his phone to call a relative.

When Wener Zimmer refused, Jang Jae Bin pulled out a knife, threatened him and grabbed his phone before escaping.

Jang Jae Bin was later arrested by District 7's police. The two stolen phones had a total value of VNĐ5.4 million (approximately US$215).

During the investigation and court hearing, Jang Jae Bin admitted to his crimes, explaining that he was unemployed and had run out of money while travelling in Việt Nam.

The defendant pleaded for a reduced sentence so he could reunite with his family sooner. — VNS