Busted! Baggage handlers at Suvarnabhumi Airport caught stealing from passengers

[snoop1130]

Busted! Baggage handlers at Suvarnabhumi Airport caught stealing from passengers

By Coconuts Bangkok

 

One of the alleged thieves points at stolen money seized from him. Photo: Sanook

 

Suvarnabhumi Airport caught two baggage handlers stealing money and accessories from passengers’ suitcases on Friday night as they were loading a plane.

 

Nattapon Thammarat, 20, is a newly-hired security guard who discovered the two alleged thieves. At around 6pm on Friday he became suspicious of two handlers loading luggage onto MH783, a Malaysia Airlines flight leaving Bangkok for Kuala Lumpur.

 

The baggage handlers in question were identified as Sitthichai Sawtiew, 24, and Piyapong Juisuwan, 28. Both were employed by Bangkok Flight Services Co. to handle checked baggage.

 

Full Story: https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/busted-baggage-handlers-suvarnabhumi-airport-caught-stealing-passengers/

 

-- © Copyright Coconuts Bangkok 2017-7-24

[snoop1130]

Airport workers arrested for stealing from passenger bags

By Suthinan Kongsin 
The Nation

 

 

Two workers at Suvarnabhumi Airport, in Samut Prakan, were arrested for allegedly stealing passengers’ valuables, it was announced on Monday.

 

Police and the airport’s security director, Kittipong Kittikhajorn, named the suspects as Sitthichai Sae-tiew, 24, and Piyapong Juisuwan, 28, who were outsourced workers with the Bangkok Flight Services baggage handling company.

 

They were caught stealing passengers’ valuables while loading luggage onto a Malaysia-bound plane on July 22, police said. 

 

The stolen items were 10,000 Chinese yuan (about Bt49,600), 56 Turkmenistan manat banknotes (worth about Bt535), a Daniel Wellington wristwatch, a pair of Visum sunglasses and a pair of Aviation sunglasses. 

 

Police said a security guard, Natthapon Thammarat, saw Sitthichai pull something out of a passenger’s bag and put it into his pants pocket, while Piyapong served as a lookout. The guard confronted the men and a body search found the stolen cash. The duo were sent to police and airport security personnel for further action. A subsequent search of their rented room found the other stolen items. 

 

Sitthichai, who had worked for the company for just five months, confessed that they had stolen valuables from the unlocked bags of outbound passengers on five occasions before being caught.

 

He said they learned the trick by observing a previous theft by a senior worker who was then fired for the crime. Sitthichai claimed that workers were not normally searched when leaving after their shifts, so it was possible for them to smuggle items. 

 

Kittipong said he would gather further information about the case and report to airport executives on ways to prevent a reoccurence of the crime. He also said the guard would receive a reward.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30321669

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-7-24

[roo860]

Just by chance they knew there was cash in the unlocked bags?

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[wxpwzrd]

A blinded finger-pointer

[Sakeopete]

Poor security guy he will likely be fired for doing his job. 

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

A new security guard, must have been new he wasn't there long enough to be part of the scam.

[NoBrainer]

The Xray people can mark a bag that shows items of interest during the baggage scan. Small sticker or other type of marking

 

[dotpoom]

23 minutes ago, roo860 said:

Just by chance they knew there was cash in the unlocked bags?

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Don't understand......the owner hardly told them in advance?

 

[helloagain]

27 minutes ago, roo860 said:

Just by chance they knew there was cash in the unlocked bags?

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Dont just sack them 2 years jail

[roo860]

Don't understand......the owner hardly told them in advance?
 

Obviously not, but someone else probably did. Not difficult to understand.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[mark01]

More bag thefts????

And the security threat of not checking employees!!!!!!

 

But never mind, let's hunt for celebrities that post photos of booze on social media. Far more important.

 

 

[Destiny1990]

He learned it from his seniors.

That could be a new lead och well never mind.

[morpho]

Another day...and just another tarnish on the good name of Thailand.

[ezzra]

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

Turkmenistan manat banknotes (

 

I can understand leaving gold diamonds and other valuables in the check in

luggage, but who's in his his right mind leaves Turkmenistan manat banknotes 

for the taking? no excuse there....

[guzzi850m2]

Who on earth put something of value in a checked-in suitcase?

 

Well they can have my un-washed under-wear and socks, but be aware of that my socks sometimes smells badly.

 

The 3 times I flown in/out of Manila airport in the Philippines, my suitcase was always tampered with but again only clothes in it and nothing taken. 

[sweatalot]

Might be a good idea to sack the old security crew and also the X-ray people (after checking them if they can be prosecuted), but sack them anyway.  Examples are necessary.

Edited July 24, 2017 by sweatalot

[JSixpack]

1 hour ago, roo860 said:

Just by chance they knew there was cash in the unlocked bags?

1

 

Complex Question Fallacy. No reason to assume they knew therefore "chance" is irrelevant.

 

1 hour ago, Sakeopete said:

Poor security guy he will likely be fired for doing his job. 

 

No, he'll be rewarded as the article says.

 

50 minutes ago, ALLSEEINGEYE said:

A new security guard, must have been new he wasn't there long enough to be part of the scam.

 

No, he could have asked to be a part of the scam right then. Could have got 50% or more.

 

38 minutes ago, roo860 said:

Obviously not, but someone else probably did. Not difficult to understand.

 

 

No reason to assume anyone did. An unlocked bag is fair game. They may have looked in others as well. Not difficult to understand.

 

48 minutes ago, NoBrainer said:

The Xray people can mark a bag that shows items of interest during the baggage scan. Small sticker or other type of marking

 

The bag's unlocked anyway but few are unlocked. Flag B500 of Turkmenistan notes? 

 

26 minutes ago, morpho said:

Another day...and just another tarnish on the good name of Thailand.

 Another day...and just another tarnish on the tarnished DSI: TVF.

 

 

 

[AhFarangJa]

As one poster.... haguzzi850m2  has already stated, what sort of numbskull puts anything valuable in check in luggage, no matter where they fly from in the world....

 

[fantom]

Never never never put valuables into checked luggage.

 

 

[Nemesis7]

Earning a bad reputation fir the country's main hub isn't a good thing really 

[wvavin]

I guess this is only a one off case because the security guard is a newbie and has not joined the Thai Airport Thieves Club yet.

[Rc2702]

Seems a bit of an odd story all around. 

 

New guy spotted the crime himself.

 

New guy did not catch it on CCTV? 

 

Good to know if they even use CCTV in areas where passengers goods are handled?

 

2 as good as new employees (5 months) caught stealing. Sounds like they got fitted up to cover the tracks of the real long term thieves.

[Gumballl]

29 minutes ago, guzzi850m2 said:

Who on earth put something of value in a checked-in suitcase?

 

Well they can have my un-washed under-wear and socks, but be aware of that my socks sometimes smells badly.

 

The 3 times I flown in/out of Manila airport in the Philippines, my suitcase was always tampered with but again only clothes in it and nothing taken. 

It would be a change for the good if one were to arrive at their destination to find that their clothes had been laundered and neatly packed in the suitcase by the airport staff.  This would really set Thailand apart from any other country.

[Jonmarleesco]

'Sitthichai claimed that workers were not normally searched when leaving after their shifts, so it was possible for them to smuggle items.'

 

Very trusting of AOT ... on behalf of the passengers. That said, why anyone would leave cash in their checked baggage is beyond me. 

[KIWIBATCH]

57 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

He learned it from his seniors.

That could be a new lead och well never mind.

Is this "suitcase inspection"  outright thievery ...a job reserved for Thais only in Thailand ? 

[farcanell]

27 minutes ago, JSixpack said:

 

Complex Question Fallacy. No reason to assume they knew therefore "chance" is irrelevant.

 

 

No, he'll be rewarded as the article says.

 

 

No, he could have asked to be a part of the scam right then. Could have got 50% or more.

 

 

No reason to assume anyone did. An unlocked bag is fair game. They may have looked in others as well. Not difficult to understand.

 

The bag's unlocked anyway but few are unlocked. Flag B500 of Turkmenistan notes? 

 

 Another day...and just another tarnish on the tarnished DSI: TVF.

 

 

 

Well said.... ?

 

And now, with the US policy (spreading) on use of electronic equipment on board flights, expect those stored below to become targets, followed by comments such as "why would you put valuable computers in your luggage?"

[ttrd]

RE - He also said the guard would receive a reward.

 

Hopefully he will not receive any surprising "reward" from his 2 busted colleges using a stolen knife or a stolen gun....

[superdome]

Sounds like "thiefrow"...has moved

[peterg40]

Quality baggage handlers?

[impulse]

23 minutes ago, Gumballl said:

It would be a change for the good if one were to arrive at their destination to find that their clothes had been laundered and neatly packed in the suitcase by the airport staff.  This would really set Thailand apart from any other country.

 

We'd still have posters here bashing them for doing it.