7 Air-India employees arrested for theft

MUMBAI: Seven Air-India contract loaders (employees who load luggage) were arrested on Friday for stealing goods from the baggage of air passengers. 

The loaders, arrested by the Sahar Airport police, were involved in the crime for over a year. The police recovered digital and video cameras, mobile phones and watches worth over Rs1.5 lakh from Lokesh Gowda, Ramesh Coco, Rajesh Vaiti, Chetan Desai, Alok Manilal, Mahindra Pawar and Amit Dadwe. The buyer of the stolen goods, Devesh Shah, has also been arrested.

Additional Commissioner of Police, West Zone, Bipin Bihari, said, “We had received several complaints of theft of goods and baggage being tampered with. After this, vigil was stepped up by the airport police.”

After several days of monitoring, the police found the culprits. The police said the accused used pens and other pointed equipment to tamper with the baggage and remove valuables from baggage while loading them onto an aircraft.

The news of the arrests have left many regular fliers shocked. Kunal Kulkarni, a resident of Marine Lines, said, “Though I have not come across such a problem, I still feel it is unwise to trust loaders with baggage. As far as possible, one must try and carry valuables, like mobiles and cameras, in their handbags, at least while travelling on domestic flights.”