Tuesday, October 2, 2012
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
POLICE have launched an internal investigation into an alleged theft ring at the Lynden Pindling International Airport, Osbourne Ferguson, Security Director, Airport Authority, said yesterday.
At the centre of the probe, The Tribune understands, are the airport’s security check points following reports from passengers that personal items had disappeared from the area.
While Mr Ferguson remained tight-lipped on those investigations, he said the airport is constantly re-evaluating security measures.
“We are always reviewing our security measures,” Mr Ferguson said.
“Police are also doing their investigations. I wouldn’t say anything else as I don’t want to preempt anything that the police is doing.”
Mr Ferguson set the record straight on a recent incident involving Magistrate Derrance Rolle whose bag was stolen from the Domestic arrivals terminal at the airport. The incident raises questions as to whether airport security measures are easily breached.
“That incident was not a product of a security breach. What happened was just like a person going to the food store, putting their bags down, and someone comes right behind them and steals the bag.”
A black leather Samsonite bag, according to a police source, that contained the Magistrate’s personal firearm, a laptop and several sensitive documents were taken from the airport on Friday evening. Mr Rolle had allegedly left the bag on the ground while he went to check the conveyor belt for the remaining pieces of his luggage. After receiving the other bags, he realised that the black bag was missing.
All of the items were recovered. Two men are in police custody assisting them with investigations, the police source said.
Concerns were raised with airport security officials one month ago, after a family reported that their son’s $3,000 Mac laptop was stolen when he, by mistake, left the computer at the security check point in the international departures terminal.
Paul and Kim Aranha said their son was told on September 3, that his laptop could not be found just minutes after staff notified him that he had left it behind.
The Aranha’s were also informed that the airport’s CCTV was not functioning on the day the laptop disappeared.
“We are certain they stole it,” Capt. Paul Aranha said. “They were very nonchalant about it. They later called from airport security and said they couldn’t even review the CCTV footage because there was none.”
Mrs Aranha added that their son was targeted by security staff because they presumably believed he was a tourist who would not follow-up with the case.
“They are running a ridiculous operation down there. I am sure that the US Embassy would be quite surprised to know that the multimillion dollar airport doesn’t have consistently working security cameras. I think that for a nation thriving on tourism it’s disgraceful,” Mrs Aranha said.
Comments
concernedcitizen says...
i wasn,t aware that magistrates were allowed to carry firearms !!!!!!!!!!! its seems the PLP have admitted they can not control crime and are arming themselves ...i have been robbed at gunpoint twice in my beautiful country ,PGC can i please get a permit for a handgun????????
Posted 2 October 2012, 11:53 a.m. Suggest removal
spoitier says...
I expect to here that someone is fired, for sure the person that man the CCTV, because no way in hell was the camera not working on that day, it was erased
Posted 2 October 2012, 2:36 p.m. Suggest removal
MartGM says...
...I wasn't aware that you can travel with a handgun... Can someone please help me out with this.
Posted 2 October 2012, 3:25 p.m. Suggest removal
concernedcitizen says...
i wasn,t aware you could travel w/ a handgun or even get one w/ out special lics ,from the goverment..
Posted 2 October 2012, 3:27 p.m. Suggest removal
positiveinput says...
Lets not jump the 'gun' here. Before we get to the gun, doesn't airport security message states not the leave bags unattended. Now its clear that this individual left his belongings unattended, furthermore there was a weapon inside of it so I hope along with the two men assisting police a third is also arrested for his contribution of allowing the two men to get hold of a weapon. Now we see why the average Bahamian cannot carry/own a handgun legally seeing the careless actions of the 'highclass'. Back to the airport security message, didn't it state that owners of unattended baggage would be fined, well I hope this person because of his bags' content gets a heavy fined and not allow to endanger the life of any other travellers by using the airport again.
Posted 2 October 2012, 4:18 p.m. Suggest removal
spoitier says...
Why was he travelling with a hand gun in the first place, I know it couldn't be international because would've got caught and arrested, hope the judge wasn't up to no good where ever he was travelling from.
Posted 2 October 2012, 4:43 p.m. Suggest removal
positiveinput says...
Well seeing that he was at the conveyor belt in the Domestic Terminal depending on which island he was coming from the outisland security does not exist (not too sure about Grand Bahama). However reaching Nassau, one of the first rule is not to leave bags unattended. Its like to enter a courthouse one must have on long pants with shirt tucked in, everyone knows that. Also if he travelled from Nassau, how is it this weapon was in his pocession in the first place if he had to clear security. If this magistrate cannot be fined and banned from using the airport for a long period of time if not for good, might as well let the two men go because they were just removing (discarding) unattended baggage which airport security states and never specified by whom.
Posted 2 October 2012, 4:59 p.m. Suggest removal
Puzzled says...
We build a state of the art airport and in no time at all the petty theft Bahamian way of life starts. CCTV footage ''missing". I seem to remember that the same rather puerile excuse was used at the BTC big outage!
More to the point what kind of irresponsible behaviour is this from an appointed magistrate? First how is he allowed to carry a firearm on a plane (presumably carry on) and secondly why would ANY traveler leave a bag unattended especially if it contains an item such as a gun. This man is supposed to be able to pass judgement on the guilt or innocence of the Bahamian people that appear before him. He should be fired as he is obviously lacking in the ability to judge right from wrong.
Posted 3 October 2012, 7:35 a.m. Suggest removal
spoitier says...
We all are asking the same questions, it seems like two many holds in this story anyway, because I would think a judge would be more responsible. This could be some kind of cover up in case his gun was involve in something, what i'm saying might sound beyond, but what happen in this story is also beyond.
Posted 3 October 2012, 9:35 a.m. Suggest removal
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