Posted on 06/29/2004 8:59:48 PM PDT by Moonman62
FORT LAUDERDALE – Four employees at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport were arrested for taking items from passenger’s bags.
The men arrested were Aldo Santa-Cruz, Harford Howell, Tito Santos-Flores and Carlos Cruz.
"It’s terrible. It’s very hard to understand why people do this, but people do terrible things," said passenger Judith Howard.
Investigators say the workers stole jewelry, laptops and even cash. Some of the employees even sold the goods and stashed them in backpacks.
Investigators say the thefts went on for about a year and a half and one of the victims was actress Shirley Maclaine.
According to the criminal complaint, two workers stole crystals and other jewelry from her luggage.
Passenger Jason Becker said, "I know they go through them because they have to for security reasons, but I don’t expect them to ever take anything."
The people inside Harford Howell’s home declined to speak.
"He was a nice guy I don’t believe anything like that," said Lester Cruickshamk, the suspect’s neighbor.
In February 2003, six people working for British Airways at Miami International Airport were caught on camera looking through suitcases and stealing goods.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport released the following statement by Lauren Stover, Eastern Field Director for TSA Public Affairs: "We had reason to suspect that some of out TSA screeners at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport were engaged in questionable activities. TSA took immediate steps to launch an investigation, which resulted in four arrests today. We await a statement to be released by the U.S. attorney’s office."
Passenger Avi Avni said, "The people that hire those people need to do a better check on who they are hiring."
TSA will make a decision on the worker’s status after their arraignment that is scheduled for tomorrow.
If only they would federalize the workers, so this wouldn't happen.
The union will fight to keep them on.
She'll get them back in her next life.
You're implying that she has a life now.
A friend of mine sent an email saying:
@ 11:00am this morning, a party of 8 came into my restraunt to eat because their flight was delayed. It was delayed because an SUV (seemingly deliberately) smashed through the galss doors and right up to a ticket counter @ Fort Laud Intl airport. I was checking local news web sites, cnn.com, and we even had the TV's at the bar on 24hour news channels. Still nothing. The FBI swarmed the airport like p'ed off bees. It would have occured around 10:30am
Has anyone heard anything from any news source on this? Or can anyone else confirm.
http://www.local10.com/news/3492009/detail.html
Can't post it because it's a commie station owned by the Washington Post. Looks like it should be on the AP newswire, though.
Hey thanks! Wonder if he is connected somehow to the people in your original post.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.