Yahoo Finance Spanish Airport Workers Are Arrested for Allegedly Stealing Over $2 Million in Goods From Passengers’ Luggage
Complaints of theft at one of Spain’s largest international airport have led to the discovery of a shocking crime ring.
On Friday, Guardia Civil police announced the arrest of 14 workers at Sur-Reina Sofia, which is located close to the beach town of Tenerife. The group is suspected of stealing up to $2.2 million in items from checked luggage, including around $14,000 in cash that authorities have recovered. Another 20 employees are suspected to be part of the thefts as well. Police began investigating after travelers started filing a barrage of reports.
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Authorities have seized 29 luxury watches, 22 cellphones, other electronic devices, plus a staggering 120 pieces of jewelry. Police claim the robberies occurred as luggage was being transferred to planes’ holds during the loading and offloading processes. The workers are alleged to have completed these routines at a slower pace so they could open the luggage inside the hold by puncturing suitcase zippers to open them.
In a statement, police claim that “once they had removed the objects they were interested in from inside, including jewelry, cell phones, watches, and electronic devices, they closed the zipper again to leave the suitcase without any signs of tampering.” Barron’s reports that the suspects now face charges of membership in a criminal group, robbery by force, and money laundering.
Tenerife is the largest and most populous of the Canary Islands. It has another airport in the north, and is most popular with northern European travelers seeking warmer climates. Sur-Reina Sofia handled 10.8 million passengers last year, making it Spain’s seventh busiest airport, according to state-controlled airport operator Aena.
Spain’s issue with airport theft doesn’t cease there, unfortunately. Back in August, roughly $9 million in jewelry and cash was stolen from Russian travelers at a Barcelona airport, sparking a host of media headlines. Spanish state news agency EFE reported that the passengers were part of an Emirates airline flight. Their luggage reportedly included a 47-carat ring valued at $5 million and €20,000 in cash. The two men seen in video footage stealing their bags have since been arrested, AP News reports.
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