Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On July 25, 2026, a man was arrested after allegedly stealing or taking his ex-wife's truck without her permission, driving it to her business in Pavaiai, and later attempting to gain entry into a locked room after she told him to leave. 

The suspect who was previously arrested for stealing money from his ex-wife’s business was arrested and later charged with:

Count 1: Tampering in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of not more than $1,000, or both imprisonment and fine; and,

Count 2: Trespass (DV), a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine not to exceed $500, or both.

The defendant was held without bail.

According to the court affidavit, the suspect, later identified as Dang Huu Lanh went to the victim’s property, which is part of her business holdings, and demanded that an employee give him the keys to the truck.

The employee initially refused to hand over the keys. However, the suspect allegedly became increasingly loud and demanding.

The employee was reportedly serving a customer at the time and became concerned that the situation could escalate and potentially place both himself and the customer at risk. Fearing that Lanh might cause a scene, the employee eventually handed over the vehicle keys.

The suspect then allegedly drove away from the property in the truck.

The employee immediately contacted the victim and informed her that Lane had taken the vehicle.

Police officers responded to the report and met with the victim at her business in Pavaiai. Investigators obtained a description of the vehicle, which was identified as an old black Nissan Titan pickup truck.

The victim also told police that shortly after the truck was taken, the suspect arrived at her business. The victim reported that she was inside a locked room at approximately 12:12 p.m. when she heard loud banging. Initially, she did not pay much attention to the noise because she believed it could have been caused by children running around the property or construction work taking place nearby.

The banging reportedly stopped for several minutes before she heard the door knob being shaken and rattling noises coming from the locked door.

Concerned, she checked her security cameras, which were positioned toward the hallway. The victim stated that she saw her ex-husband attempting to get inside the room. The suspect reportedly called out to her from outside and said that he wanted to talk.

The victim told investigators that she instructed Lanh to leave and made it clear that she did not want him around her business but he refused to leave.

The victim alleged that the suspect then picked up a lash tweezer and attempted to use it to pick open the lock on the door.

The victim continued that she was scared for her safety after seeing Lanh’s actions on the security camera and contacted the Department of Public Safety.

The victim stated that when the suspect realized she was calling police, he left the property and fled in her pickup truck that he had allegedly taken earlier without her permission.

Officers subsequently began searching for the vehicle.

Police units were patrolling the area when they spotted a truck matching the description provided by the victim near KS Mart.

Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver turned into the KS Mart parking lot and appeared to attempt to evade the police units. Officers moved to block the entrances and exits of the parking lot to prevent the vehicle from leaving.

Police then approached the truck and identified the driver as Lanh. The suspect was taken into custody and transported to the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS), where the was Mirandized.

Because investigators needed assistance communicating with the suspect, an iPhone translation application was reportedly used. Officers conducted a test using the application, and the man indicated that he understood.

The same translation application was then used to Mirandize the suspect. Lanh indicated that he understood his rights and waived them.

Investigators subsequently attempted to interview him about the allegations.

During questioning, the suspect denied taking the vehicle without permission and denied attempting to force his way into the locked room. He stated that he only wanted to speak with his ex- wife, but that she refused to speak with him or involve herself with him.

The investigation also confirmed that the pickup truck was registered to the victim.

The victim later explained to investigators that she and the suspect had previously been married and share children together. Because of their children, she said the suspect had continued living on the same compound with the family for a period of time.

However, the victim told police that an incident in July, in which she alleged that the suspect stole money from her, led her to banish him from the property.

She also stated that she ended his employment with her business and informed her employees that he was no longer permitted to be around the business. According to the affidavit, employees were also instructed not to provide him access to any of the company's vehicles or merchandise.

The woman acknowledged that before the suspect was removed from the property and business, he had occasionally used the Nissan Titan to run errands for the company.

However, the victim stated that he was only permitted to use the vehicle when she specifically authorized him to do so.

Police subsequently booked the man and confined him at the Tafuna Correctional Facility.

The affidavit was filed in the District Court on July 29, 2026.

As with all criminal cases, the allegations outlined in court filings remain accusations at this stage, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

[Editor’s Note: An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation for use as evidence in court. It is not a court decision.]