A woman’s joyful return to Johor after celebrating Chinese New Year with her family quickly turned into heartbreak when she discovered all her angpao cash had been stolen.
Sharing her experience on Xiaohongshu, her post was titled, ‘Me becoming a thief’s God of Prosperity on CNY Day 7’. She urged travelers to be cautious with their belongings when taking public transport.
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She recounted taking a bus from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) to Johor Bahru, only to find her luggage zipper tampered with upon reaching home. Although her clothes and sealed angpaos appeared untouched, she soon realized that the cash inside had vanished.
“My heart sank—this was all my Chinese New Year red packet money, including those from my parents, relatives, colleagues, and even my year-end bonus, which was in Singapore dollars!
“After a rough calculation, I had lost at least RM4,000. I was devastated and there were no more tears left to cry,” she lamented.
She explained that the zipper head had been pried open, allowing access to the suitcase’s contents despite a combination lock. Suspicion fell on the bus driver, who had been unusually eager to stow her luggage in the compartment.
“During the journey, the bus stopped twice—once at a petrol station shortly after departure for about ten minutes, and the second time at a rest stop for about 20 minutes so passengers could use the restroom and buy food.
“To pry open the zipper head, open the suitcase, and take each red envelope before grabbing the cash inside would have taken at least five minutes. So, I believe it’s unlikely that another passenger did it,” she wrote.
After discovering the theft, she lodged a police report but claimed officers were indifferent to her situation.
“I took my luggage to the police station to file a report. However, the police seemed indifferent—maybe they thought the amount was too small.
“They said there was no evidence to question anyone and even asked me what I wanted them to do,” she added.
She ended her post with a warning to fellow travelers, advising them not to store cash or valuables inside their luggage to avoid falling victim to theft.
