Iranian arrested in Nha Trang

An Iranian man arrested last week in the coastal resort town of Nha Trang for allegedly stealing around VND10 million (US$625) from a beer shop has been released by the police for lack of evidence.
Police in Nha Trang, 400 km north of Ho Chi Minh City, told Thanh Nien Sunday that language was a major barrier since a Farsi interpreter could not be found.
The police added that after releasing Hosseie they had lost track of him and his accomplice.
But they promised to continue investigation into the case.
According to the police Hosseie and his accomplice entered a beer shop last Thursday and bought beer.
One of them paid for the beer and gestured he would himself collect the right amount of change from the cash box.
When the staff allowed him to do so, the other distracted the staff by asking for buy a bottle of wine.
The first man reportedly grabbed the money from of the cashbox and the two fled on a motorbike.
The shop employees rode after them even as the police were called in and joined the chase.
Hosseie was arrested on Cu Chi Street but his accomplice managed to escape.
The shop owner said the two men had stolen around VND10 million.
Allegations pile up
After the arrest of the Iranian, several people have written in or visited Thanh Nien with reports about how the pair had duped them too.
The Iranians apparently used the same ploy to steal money from all of them.
Le Van Thanh, owner of a computer shop in HCMC’s District 1, alleged the duo had stolen around $4,600 after visiting his shop on January 26.
In a letter to Thanh Nien Monday, Vu Thi Khuyen, an employee of Quynh Tram shop in District 1, claimed they had cheated her of VND5 million last week.
A health center in District 4 lost VND20 million ($1,250) after they dropped in to buy eyewash.
Thanh Nien also received complaints from “victims” in the central Binh Thuan Province.
Thanh Nien discovered that since late last year there have been complaints that the Iranian men stole at least VND50 million ($3,150) from nine victims in HCMC and a similar amount from three shops in Nha Trang.
Reported by Huu Phu-Dam Huy