Lich, 38, explained that at 11:50 p.m. on Saturday, she was driving a truck loaded with four tons of lychees on her way from Hanoi to Phu Tho Province when she had an accident in Dan Hoa commune, located in the Hanoi suburbs. The truck overturned, spilling all the fruit onto the road.

With the help of passersby who called a tow truck, Lich and her husband moved the vehicle to a nearby garage about two kilometers away for repairs.

Around 4 a.m. on Sunday, when Lich returned to the accident site, she found dozens of people gathering to take the lychees. She tried to stop them, explaining that the fruit was her family’s property, but some people continued to take it. Feeling helpless, Lich and her husband decided to leave for their home, accepting the loss of their goods.

The incident was captured by a bystander and shared on social media, sparking public debate. Many criticized the act of theft, while others suggested that people might have thought the fruit had been discarded.

Nguyen Dinh Dat, the tow truck driver, confirmed that when he arrived at the scene, Lich and her husband were still in shock. He initially planned to help load the fruit onto the truck, but the amount was too large, so he prioritized towing the truck for repairs.

Lich’s truck after an accident that caused it overturn in Dan Hoa Commune, on the night of July 5, 2025. Photo courtesy of Lich

A representative from the Dan Hoa Commune People’s Committee told Read that they were aware of the truck accident on Saturday evening but that the driver had not reported it to local authorities. On Sunday morning, many people passing by saw the lychees piled on the roadside and, noticing there was no one guarding them, decided to take some.

“Upon learning that some people still took the fruit despite the owner’s attempts to stop them, we have instructed the police to investigate and clarify the situation,” the representative said.

The spokesperson also added that after the story spread on social media on Monday, authorities learned that some individuals who had taken the fruit reached out to the owner to offer compensation.

Lich mentioned that the four tons of lychees were valued at approximately VND28 million (US$1,072). After the story went viral, many people contacted her to offer financial support. Some admitted to taking the fruit, thinking it had been discarded, and expressed a desire to return the money.

By Monday afternoon, Lich had received over VND9 million in donations.