On Monday, many were alarmed to learn that two Lion Air porters and two security officers at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport had been arrested for systematically breaking into passengers’ luggage and stealing valuables.
Unfortunately, it looks like the problem is much bigger than the four who were caught red-handed breaking into luggage on CCTV security footage. Soekarno-Hatta Police say that they suspect over 20 people might have been involved in the luggage looting syndicate.
“We are still investigating further. A porter and security officer who we believe were involved have already escaped,” said Soekarno-Hatta Police Commissioner Aszhari Kurniawan yesterday as quoted by Tribunnews.
Aszhari says their investigation has found at least four groups of Lion Air porters who were in on the racket, consisting of about 20 people altogether. He said that some of the porters might not have wanted to be involved with the thefts, but were pressured into going along with them by their colleagues.
The commissioner said that the porters had to work closely with security guards to pull off the thefts and that the guards likely took the stolen goods after the porters broke into the suitcases. The security officers would then sell the goods and give the porters their cut.
