GPS signal from wireless headphones leads police to airport thief
A member of the ground staff at Athens International Airport has confessed to stealing valuables from passengers’ luggage on at least 70 occasions after police tracked him down by following the GPS signal from a pair of wireless headphones which he had stolen from a tourist’s suitcase.
The tourist, who was on an outward flight to Tel Aviv, had complained to the authorities when only one of her two suitcases arrived back in Israel.
The GPS signal from the device led police to the ground handler’s home in Peristeri, western Athens.
During questioning, the ground handler, who is employed by a private ground staff company, admitted that he had stolen the headphones. He also admitted to taking a brand-new phone worth €1,549 in the same way, which he gave to his wife to use. He confessed he had stolen items from suitcases on at least 70 occasions.
During a search of the man’s home, police found pepper spray, 19 portable audio playback speakers, 41 external hard drives, 35 mobile phones, 2 laptops, 16 tablets, 95 USB sticks, 1 digital camera, 13 purses, 41 wristwatches, 47 women’s handbags, 23 pairs of sunglasses, 13 wallets, 150 packs of cigarettes, 43 cigars, 23 packs of tobacco and jewelry (rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, chains, etc.)
Banknotes from Thailand, Lebanon, Iran, Ghana, Tanzania, Greece (drachmas), Mexico and Malaysia were also recovered, as was a sum of West African CFA francs.
