an off-topic legal query

[draqon]

theoretically speaking, if someone steals a watch or a computer from me while i am in an airplane, and the airplane is currently over international waters, then has the thief broken any law? if so, did he break the law of the country we left from, or the one we are going to land at?

 

[Dave Zan]

Theft is theft. One possible question could be where you'll choose to hold the
thief liable...if the thief has been caught before leaving the plane, of course. :-D

 

[Jack Gordon]

I am guessing jurisdiction would fall back to the homebase of the airline, but that is just a guess.

Let's change the scenario. Let's say, hypothetically, a shoe bomber is caught and apprehended on his way from Europe to America on an American Airlines jet. Was a law broken? Who do you think has custody of the bastard?

 

[seeker]

from the news and from what I make of it, its were the airplane lands that he'll get prosecuted