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   From: stealing@lamayor.org   
      
   LOS ANGELES (AP) — A $15,000 camera, Gucci bags, name-brand   
   clothing, electronics and jewelry are among the thousands of   
   dollars in valuables stolen by baggage handlers at Los Angeles   
   International Airport, police said Thursday.   
      
   Police served more than two dozen search warrants and made six   
   arrests Wednesday night after a months-long investigation in   
   what was the largest baggage-theft operation in the airport's   
   history, Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Raymond Maltez said.   
      
   The joint operation with LAPD and airport police came in   
   response to a string of theft reports from planes, terminals and   
   runways. Police noticed lost and theft reports occurring at the   
   airport more frequently when certain crews handled luggage.   
      
   Officers seized the stolen goods from 25 locations in the   
   region, including the airport, authorities said. Officials will   
   attempt to return the seized items to owners.   
      
   Those arrested were primarily employees or ex-employees of   
   companies contracted to handle luggage and did not work directly   
   for the airport, airport police Assistant Chief Michael Hyams   
   said.   
      
   Maltez said the suspects worked for three contracting companies,   
   including Menzies Aviation.   
      
   The alleged crimes "were limited to a handful of employees,   
   acting independently," the company, which has an office at the   
   airport, said in a statement. "Menzies supports this enforcement   
   action and pledges its complete cooperation with the police   
   investigation," the statement said.   
      
   Four suspects were taken into custody on suspicion of receiving   
   stolen property and two for outstanding warrants. A total of 14   
   people were detained for questioning. More arrests were expected.   
      
   "It's still not over. There's a good possibility there will be   
   more search warrants and more arrests to follow," Maltez said.   
      
   Police said that while some thieves worked together, most acted   
   on their own seizing opportunities to pocket items from luggage   
   in transit.   
      
   Maltez said there was a general culture of acceptance of theft   
   among the baggage handlers.   
      
   "They all knew about each other, although they weren't working   
   in concert," Maltez said. "We're looking at people who are   
   opportunists, who have taken opportunities to steal."   
      
   The thieves were also selling items on multiple sites, including   
   Craigslist.   
      
   Detectives were still working to determine how much had been   
   recovered, but many expensive items, including a $15,000 camera,   
   were seized during the raids. The camera belonged to a   
   photographer who was on his way to Africa and reported it stolen   
   in San Francisco. "But truly, it was stolen in LAX," Maltez said.   
      
   The thieves targeted bags that were traveling longer distances   
   or had multiple transfers. Long-haul passengers, especially,   
   often don't see their bags for many hours and through multiple   
   airports if they're transferring.   
      
   "What happens is if they steal it here at LAX, by the time you   
   get home you don't know where these things were stolen," Maltez   
   said. "They know who to target."   
      
   The suspects had undergone employment and criminal-background   
   checks before they were authorized to work at the airport. But   
   those checks are limited, and all the employees had minimal or   
   non-existent arrest records, Maltez said.   
      
   Most of the police activity was at the Tom Bradley International   
   Terminal and at Terminal 4, which handles American Airlines,   
   American Eagle and some Qantas flights.   
      
   Every year about 55 million pieces of luggage are checked at   
   LAX, which served nearly 67 million passengers last year.   
      
   Maltez said that while the airport is relatively safe, and theft   
   isn't rampant, "my advice to travelers is to be careful what you   
   pack in your bags."   
      
   http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Chief-25-could-be-   
   detained-in-airport-bag-thefts-5352807.php   
      
       
      
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