By Gina Tabonares
Variety News Staff

AIRPORT police on Tuesday night, arrested four airport luggage handlers believed to be part of a syndicate that steals personal items from passengers’ baggage and suitcases, after a two-month sting operation.
Guam International Airport Authority general manager Jess Torres confirmed the arrest of four workers at the Aircraft Service International Group, or ASIG, saying that there will be more arrests as an investigation of the luggage pilfering activities continues.
The four arrested employees are Orville Tapia, Florencio Bautista, Renato Reburiano and Elvin Ramos Galvez.
They were charged with theft of property held in trust, conspiracy, guilt established by complicity, and crimical facilitation.
Torres said the arrested ramp workers are not GIAA employees because they were contracted by ASIG, which has been a tenant of the airport for several years.
He said the arrests were made after an investigation showed that there was compelling evidence to substantiate suspicions.
ASIG is one of the world’s most highly regarded independent airfield service companies, providing comprehensive ground handling, fuelling and passenger services to commercial aviation customers throughout Europe and the United States, operating at 44 of the world’s top 100 airports.
According to Torres, ASIG bought the locally-managed firm that provides manpower for cargo and luggage handling for GIAA two years ago.
After the 911 attacks, the Transportation Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security began discouraging passengers from locking bags because of the screening process.
“The alleged luggage thieves took advantage of the situation for their personal greed,” Torres said.
When complaints from air carriers started increasing, airport management began an inside investigation.
Torres told Variety that airline companies discovered that those who complained their personal belongings like cameras and jewelry were missing were passengers who went through GIAA.
Torres said the sting operation was initiated in December last year and Airport Police Chief Mark Charfauros picked three seasoned airport officers to conduct the in-house investigation.
He said they also invested in surveillance cameras and monitoring devices to catch the culprits in the act of pilfering the luggage.
Torres said air carriers have different ways of handling their luggage and after a thorough review and meeting with airlines, they decided to launch the sting operation.
“Our investigation revealed that there were individuals back there who were collaborating to steal. We don’t allow that kind of illegal activity. I have zero tolerance for that,” Torres told Variety.
While he said that this has been happening in other airports, the people of Guam expect that the airport management will address the complaints vigorously.
He also revealed that the stealing began the moment the luggage or boxes left the TSA x-ray machine to go to a screening area and into a baggage make-up area handled by ASIG workers.
Torres said the arrested individuals work for a private firm contracted by a carrier, and as of yesterday, none who work directly for GIAA have been found to be involved.
“But whether you belong to a private firm or you’re an airport worker, you don’t have a place here. Stealing is a crime and you have to pay for that,” he said.
Torres said they are closely coordinating with the Attorney General’s Office to pursue the case against the arrested ASIG workers while they are collaborating with airline companies on how to stop luggage pilferage.