Maros, South Sulawesi. Police announced Wednesday the arrest of two baggage handlers and the interrogation of three others working for budget airline Lion Air, on suspicion of stealing valuable items from a passenger’s checked luggage at Sultan Hasanuddin Airport in Maros regency, South Sulawesi.

The stolen items include gold jewelry valued at least Rp 100 million ($6,200) belonging to a passenger on a Yogyakarta-bound flight.

The suspects, identified as Andi Sukardi (25), Alfian (28), Basri (33), Alwan (29), and Tahmid (22), are allegedly part of a luggage theft ring operating at the airport. Basri and Alwan are currently in police custody.

Airport Police Officer 2nd Inspector Anwar said the luggage was slashed by one suspect while his colleagues monitored the situation during the loading process.

“The theft ring had specific roles, from identifying targets to opening the luggage,” Anwar explained. “They typically targeted luxury bags.”

The suspects marked the luggage with a code, and a co-worker would open it and steal items when it was loaded into the plane’s cargo hold. The exact date of the theft was not disclosed.

If convicted, the suspects could face a prison sentence of up to 15 years.

Add as a preferred source on Google +