Airlines told to step up security to curb baggage theft at airport

The Delhi Police have urged airlines to strengthen internal vigilance mechanisms to identify suspicious elements within their staff and ground-handling teams in order to curb baggage thefts at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.

In a review meeting with the air operators, Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGIA) Vichitra Veer said the primary objective of the meeting was to reinforce strict compliance with security guidelines issued by the agencies concerned.

The meeting was attended by chief security officers (CSOs) of more than 40 airlines, operating form the airport. Baggage theft and preventive measures were also a major point of discussion, with the DCP assuring that the local police would provide all necessary support to airlines in implementing effective measures.

Notable cases of baggage theft solved by the police include the arrest of a loader in March this year for theft of 75 high-end smartphones, out of which 36 phones were recovered. Similarly, in July, an Uzbek businesswoman was arrested for stealing three expensive handbags from conveyor belt at Terminal-3 of the IGI Airport.

According to Delhi Police data, 42 people were arrested in 2023 for stealing valuables from baggage at the airport, while 150 missing or stolen articles were returned to respective owners, which marked a 48 per cent decline in baggage theft cases in 2023 compared to 2022.