Phoenix Sky Harbor luggage handler arrested in thefts of passengers’ items
By APThursday, September 2, 2010
Phoenix airport luggage handler arrested in thefts
PHOENIX — A man who worked at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport has been arrested on suspicion that he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of items from the luggage of passengers.
Phoenix police said Thursday that officers saw 23-year-old Michael Hegstad take two boxes from a luggage conveyor belt and take out their contents on Aug. 26.
He was taken into custody and admitted to repeatedly removing personal belongings from baggage.
Police Sgt. Steve Martos says officers have retrieved a large amount of stolen personal items with an estimated value in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Meanwhile, a man accused of stealing up to 1,000 luggage bags from Sky Harbor in an unrelated case pleaded guilty Thursday to five charges stemming from the thefts.
