HPD arrests five in airport luggage theft case

[babylonsister]

Follow-up to this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2666321

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4439047.html

Jan. 2, 2007, 1:48PM
HPD arrests five in airport luggage theft case

By MIKE GLENN
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle


Police have arrested five people suspected in the theft of almost 70 pieces of luggage discovered last month in a large trash bin near Bush Intercontinental Airport.

The suspects, each charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, are: Erick Perez, 29; Ricardo Aguilar 23, Manuel Aguilar, 23 Carlos Osorio, 24; and Daniel Venegas 25.

The bags turned up in a trash bin Dec. 26 outside a pet store in the 200 block of Bammel Westfield.

All five suspects are employed by Menzies Aviation Group, an airline contractor, and work at the airport. They are not employed or contracted by the Houston Airport System.

In addition to 68 pieces of luggage originally recovered from the trash bin, investigators have recovered an additional 90 pieces of luggage from two separate locations. All stolen luggage involved bags being transferred between connecting flights.

Some of the luggage reportedly came through the airport's Terminal D — which handles most international flights — and came from as many as nine different airlines, officials said.

The investigation is ongoing and may result in additional arrests and charges. Anyone with information in these cases is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

[Stargazer99]

1. A perfect illustration of why privitizing every damn thing

is about as stupid as it can get!

[jus_the_facts]

2. Erick Perez, 29; Ricardo Aguilar 23, Manuel Aguilar, 23 Carlos Osorio, 24; and Daniel Venegas 25....

....those names don't sound like they're from New Orleans...since ALL the crime over there in houston is because of Katrina evacuees...didn't you hear. :sarcasm:

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

3. "Menzies Aviation Group"

those three words really say everything, just google "Menzies" and "alaska airlines" together.

[babylonsister]

4. Oh! I'll do that and thanks. nt

[saigon68]

5. They are scabs and Hoodlums

http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/alaska_air_group/index.html

In an interview with The Seattle Times, Alaska Airlines chairman Bill Ayer says the carrier is headed in the right direction. That’s despite the recent series of incidents and hiccups that have brought bad press to the airline. Despite the airline’s woes, however, there may be reason for optimism at Alaska Air. The company earned $55 million last year, making it the USA’s second most-profitable airline -- second only to discount giant Southwest, according to the Times. As for the incidents that have focused negative attention on the airline since this winter, they were among the items Ayer discussed in the interview. He addressed Alaska Air's decision to lay off 472 union workers last May and hire Menzies Aviation to handle its ground operations Seattle. “Problems began almost immediately,” the Times writes. “Luggage took ages to reach baggage carousels, and bags were lost. Flight delays became commonplace, and Alaska's on-time performance slipped to worst among 19 major U.S. airlines.”

Menzies has also been the focus of several operational incidents at the carrier. The Times says Ayer “acknowledged the timing of the switch (to Menzies) was lousy, and that nine months later Menzies continues to have trouble hiring and retaining enough qualified people.” Ayer also says he’s not happy about Alaska’s last-place performance in the federal on-time ratings for 2005. Still, he thinks the company has made the correct, albeit difficult moves in its effort to return to profitability. "As I look back at the decisions that we've made, I would say that they have largely been the right decisions. Certainly the direction has been right," Ayer says.