The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

POLICE have launched an internal investigation into an alleged theft ring at the Lynden Pindling International Airport, Osbourne Ferguson, Security Director, Airport Authority, said yesterday.

At the centre of the probe, The Tribune understands, are the airport’s security check points following reports from passengers that personal items had disappeared from the area.

While Mr Ferguson remained tight-lipped on those investigations, he said the airport is constantly re-evaluating security measures.

“We are always reviewing our security measures,” Mr Ferguson said.

“Police are also doing their investigations. I wouldn’t say anything else as I don’t want to preempt anything that the police is doing.”

Mr Ferguson set the record straight on a recent incident involving Magistrate Derrance Rolle whose bag was stolen from the Domestic arrivals terminal at the airport. The incident raises questions as to whether airport security measures are easily breached.

“That incident was not a product of a security breach. What happened was just like a person going to the food store, putting their bags down, and someone comes right behind them and steals the bag.”

A black leather Samsonite bag, according to a police source, that contained the Magistrate’s personal firearm, a laptop and several sensitive documents were taken from the airport on Friday evening. Mr Rolle had allegedly left the bag on the ground while he went to check the conveyor belt for the remaining pieces of his luggage. After receiving the other bags, he realised that the black bag was missing.

All of the items were recovered. Two men are in police custody assisting them with investigations, the police source said.

Concerns were raised with airport security officials one month ago, after a family reported that their son’s $3,000 Mac laptop was stolen when he, by mistake, left the computer at the security check point in the international departures terminal.

Paul and Kim Aranha said their son was told on September 3, that his laptop could not be found just minutes after staff notified him that he had left it behind.

The Aranha’s were also informed that the airport’s CCTV was not functioning on the day the laptop disappeared.

“We are certain they stole it,” Capt. Paul Aranha said. “They were very nonchalant about it. They later called from airport security and said they couldn’t even review the CCTV footage because there was none.”

Mrs Aranha added that their son was targeted by security staff because they presumably believed he was a tourist who would not follow-up with the case.

“They are running a ridiculous operation down there. I am sure that the US Embassy would be quite surprised to know that the multimillion dollar airport doesn’t have consistently working security cameras. I think that for a nation thriving on tourism it’s disgraceful,” Mrs Aranha said.