Delhi, Mumbai airports top the charts for missing baggage

With the number of disappearing baggage in airports touching 400 in four years, Delhi and Mumbai airports enjoy the dubious distinction of being the chart toppers for baggage thefts.

As on February 15, there were 13 cases of baggage thefts in airports registered at various police stations.

Nine of them are registered in Delhi, three of them in Mumbai and a lone case in Kolkata. The number of baggage thefts doubled in 2014 to 114 from 53 in the previous year. It was 86 in 2012 and 126 in 2011. While the number of cases in the first half of 2014 was only 34, the period between June-December saw that number more than double to 80. In all those four years, Delhi was leading the number of stolen baggage. The numbers in the national capital peaked in 2014 with 67 cases, while it was 14 in 2013.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma said steps have been taken to prevent baggage thefts in airports.  The government has taken steps like frisking ground handling staff while exiting airports, banning mobile phone usage in the airside and deployment of airline security staff on the baggage make up.
CISF officials say that installation of CCTV cameras is helping them crack several bag theft cases.
“Once we receive a complaint, we scan the CCTV footage and many a times, we could get a suspect. We approach them and their initial response is that they have not done anything wrong. Then we show them the image and they would sheepishly accept the mistake and return the stolen bag or other materials,” a senior official said.