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Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Four Arrested for Luggage Theft at Dulles Airport
Posted by:
Awakened
()
Date: October 04, 2008 11:50AM
Airport authorities have arrested and charged four individuals with taking items from checked luggage at Washington Dulles International Airport (web|news) .
Orlando Michael Allen, 32, of Leesburg; Otmaro Alberto Aguirre, 38, of Herndon; Manuel Ulises Carballo, 40, of Herndon and Donald Mitchell Johnson, 42, of Silver Spring have been charged with the thefts totaling almost $50,000. An investigation uncovered that the men were employed by Air Wisconsin as baggage handlers and were servicing United Express flights going in and out of Dulles.
Authorities believe the scheme may have been going on for months. "Taking these items is illegal; It's wrong and it's just not something the passenger should not have to experience," said Rob Yingling, Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority.
The men took electronic items, jewelry and credit cards from checked luggage at Dulles Airport. Allen and Aguirre have been charged with Grand Larceny, Carballo has been charged with Petit Larceny and Johnson has been charged with credit card theft.
According to officials, the suspects would wait until they were in the cargo portion of the aircraft, hidden from security cameras, before they would open bags and take anything they could stuff into their pockets.
Passenger Alfred Nsum had a camera and a tape recorder stolen out of his luggage.
In a statement from an Air Wisconsin Spokesperson the company said, "Air Wisconsin is committed to taking appropriate and immediate action to ensure the ongoing security and protection of our customer's belongings" and "are working with United Express to reunite the owners with their property.”
"You put it in their hands, because you can't lock it any more," said traveler Elaine Hinsch.
Some believe the case exposes a vulnerable spot in airport security; something that could put the airplane and it's passengers in danger.
"Here's someone's taking something out...or putting something in; it definitely raises a concern," said traveler Jennifer Swope.
Authorities say anyone who may have had items removed from their luggage should file a report with the airline.
http://www.news8.net/news/stories/1008/558626.html
Orlando Michael Allen, 32, of Leesburg; Otmaro Alberto Aguirre, 38, of Herndon; Manuel Ulises Carballo, 40, of Herndon and Donald Mitchell Johnson, 42, of Silver Spring have been charged with the thefts totaling almost $50,000. An investigation uncovered that the men were employed by Air Wisconsin as baggage handlers and were servicing United Express flights going in and out of Dulles.
Authorities believe the scheme may have been going on for months. "Taking these items is illegal; It's wrong and it's just not something the passenger should not have to experience," said Rob Yingling, Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority.
The men took electronic items, jewelry and credit cards from checked luggage at Dulles Airport. Allen and Aguirre have been charged with Grand Larceny, Carballo has been charged with Petit Larceny and Johnson has been charged with credit card theft.
According to officials, the suspects would wait until they were in the cargo portion of the aircraft, hidden from security cameras, before they would open bags and take anything they could stuff into their pockets.
Passenger Alfred Nsum had a camera and a tape recorder stolen out of his luggage.
In a statement from an Air Wisconsin Spokesperson the company said, "Air Wisconsin is committed to taking appropriate and immediate action to ensure the ongoing security and protection of our customer's belongings" and "are working with United Express to reunite the owners with their property.”
"You put it in their hands, because you can't lock it any more," said traveler Elaine Hinsch.
Some believe the case exposes a vulnerable spot in airport security; something that could put the airplane and it's passengers in danger.
"Here's someone's taking something out...or putting something in; it definitely raises a concern," said traveler Jennifer Swope.
Authorities say anyone who may have had items removed from their luggage should file a report with the airline.
http://www.news8.net/news/stories/1008/558626.html
Re: Four Arrested for Luggage Theft at Dulles Airport
Posted by:
passenger
()
Date: October 04, 2008 07:38PM
pathetic
Re: Four Arrested for Luggage Theft at Dulles Airport
Posted by:
tubby
()
Date: October 04, 2008 10:31PM
This is news?
I used to have a buddy that was a baggage handler for Allegheny Airlines....he did this EVERY day.
Sheesh, and people wonder what happened to "missing" luggage. LOL
I used to have a buddy that was a baggage handler for Allegheny Airlines....he did this EVERY day.
Sheesh, and people wonder what happened to "missing" luggage. LOL
Re: Four Arrested for Luggage Theft at Dulles Airport
Posted by:
luggs
()
Date: October 17, 2008 05:56PM
I second that
Re: Four Arrested for Luggage Theft at Dulles Airport
Posted by:
Connie
()
Date: October 21, 2008 11:08AM
quote from the original post: "electronic items, jewelry and credit cards"
I just have one thing to say....
what kind of idiot passenger put these items in checked baggage?
I just have one thing to say....
what kind of idiot passenger put these items in checked baggage?
Re: Four Arrested for Luggage Theft at Dulles Airport
Posted by:
ITRADE
()
Date: October 21, 2008 05:52PM
Connie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> quote from the original post: "electronic items,
> jewelry and credit cards"
>
>
> I just have one thing to say....
>
> what kind of idiot passenger put these items in
> checked baggage?
This is an easy one.
In today's age of rabid security, packed flights, and angry airline agents, you often do not have a choice in the matter.
The last flight I took from Phoenix was 100% full and at least the last 10 or 15 passengers had NO choice but to "gate check" their carry on bags because ALL of the overhead bins were full. The gate checked bags are marked with a different color tag because thats all the gate agents have at the gate and at the aircraft. They do not have the white bar-code tags.
An unscrupulous baggage handler can spot a gate checked bag a mile away. And I can guarantee you that at least a few passengers have forgotten that their carry on bag (which is now a checked bag) had valuables in it.
-------------------------------------------------------
> quote from the original post: "electronic items,
> jewelry and credit cards"
>
>
> I just have one thing to say....
>
> what kind of idiot passenger put these items in
> checked baggage?
This is an easy one.
In today's age of rabid security, packed flights, and angry airline agents, you often do not have a choice in the matter.
The last flight I took from Phoenix was 100% full and at least the last 10 or 15 passengers had NO choice but to "gate check" their carry on bags because ALL of the overhead bins were full. The gate checked bags are marked with a different color tag because thats all the gate agents have at the gate and at the aircraft. They do not have the white bar-code tags.
An unscrupulous baggage handler can spot a gate checked bag a mile away. And I can guarantee you that at least a few passengers have forgotten that their carry on bag (which is now a checked bag) had valuables in it.