SINGAPORE — A Chinese national will be charged in Singapore today with allegedly stealing from a passenger on a flight from Dubai.

The police said yesterday that they were alerted to the suspected theft at 5.30am on Aug 8 while the aircraft was in the air, The Straits Times reported.

The incident reportedly took place in the business class section of the flight.

Preliminary investigations showed that the victim was asleep when his wife saw the 25-year-old suspect taking the victim’s bag from an overhead compartment.

The woman confronted the suspect, who then returned the bag to the compartment.

She alerted her husband to the suspected theft soon after.

The police did not say which airline was involved, but only Emirates and Singapore Airlines operate flights between Dubai International Airport and Changi Airport.

Police said the suspect failed to give a satisfactory explanation after landing and was arrested before boarding his next flight, and he faces up to three years’ jail, a fine, or both if convicted.