Spokane7
67°
October 20, 2011 in City
Baggage theft suspects arrested
Luggage stolen Monday; three nabbed Tuesday
Three people were arrested on suspicion of stealing baggage at Spokane International Airport this week after airport police set up surveillance a day after a rash of stolen bags was reported.
Police moved quickly after receiving a complaint Monday by airline workers that bags were being taken before passengers could claim them, airport officials said.
“The airlines reported to us that they had a pattern of thefts on Monday,” said Todd Woodard, spokesman for the airport.
Airport police reviewed security video from the baggage claim areas, which gave officers a pretty good idea who to look for in case the thieves returned.
The officers then set up surveillance in the baggage claim area, waiting for the suspects. It didn’t take long. The arrests came about 1:20 p.m. Tuesday when they attempted to steal a bag.
Woodard said the thieves on Monday had worked their way across claim areas of all three concourses. The thefts were random among the airlines.
In all, seven bags were stolen, including the one grabbed Tuesday at the time of the arrests.
Baggage theft is rare, Woodard said, adding that this is the first case in at least 10 years. As a result, it is not likely to trigger the need for changes in baggage claim security, he said.
Phillip W. Payne, 26, was booked into Spokane County Jail on Tuesday evening on several counts of theft, a charge of trafficking in stolen property and resisting arrest.
Booked with him was Beth A. Payne, 29, on two counts of theft. She was initially identified by police as Beth Boots, her maiden name.
The third suspect booked into jail was Justin C. Ryan, 24, on three counts of theft.
MLK Jr. Way opens Thursday 
kandks on October 20 at 6:39 p.m.
I’m glad the poice thought this property crime was worth investigating—but then it’s for a BUSINESS not a citizen. A rash of thefts (luggage or otherwise) from our cars or houses brings not a sign of the men in blue.
The airlines contiued use of the unsecured, laughable carousel delivery system for their customers’ baggage is simply antiquated. I almost never check luggage when I fly anymore, after having had a bag full of irreplaceable family genealogy documents and data stolen at the Spokane Airport. It simply never showed up at the baggage claim carousel.
All American airports should be required to have an end-to-end, secure, trackable delivery system for luggage-like those systems used at FedEx or UPS. This would eliminate both this kind of theft, insider/employee theft of baggage, or the unbelievable millions of “lost luggage” items from ending up in the “Unclaimed” Baggage Store in Alabama (nice cozy little arrangement that). With the hundreds of millions of dollars airlines now rake in by charging customers for each bag of luggage, you’d think they would have gotten that dozens-of-decades-old problem fixed by now. Start demanding that they do, all you frequent flyers! Where’s a consumer protection agency when you need it?
And whose RIDICULOUS design was that huge spinning luggage machine that I have seen cause countless people to get knocked off balance to the floor or get them thrown against another customer ringed around the carousel while trying to either grab their bag or haul it off the thing - OR have to run around the ring a ways, dragged by the bag, because it’s too heavy or wedged too tightly against another bag to lift it off in one jerk. These baggage carousels ceate a constant, potentially dangerous environment for your customers EVERY time you start them going, airlines!