Mumbai: Sahar police registered two FIRs against unidentified persons on Aug 31 after two Indian students pursuing MBBS in Russia reported US dollars equivalent to Rs 6.5 lakh stolen from their bags. The two travelled to Russian cities on separate flights from Mumbai on Aug 26 and 27.
Police said these were the first theft cases involving international flights and have sought CCTV footage and details of airline ground staff at Mumbai airport.
A Sahar police officer said they have sought details of the CCTV footage from both airlines at Mumbai airport when the passengers’ bags were scanned before loading into flight cargo sections. “Details of the ground staffs are sought to question to find involvement of them in the thefts,” the officer told TOI.
Challenges in Baggage Theft Investigations
Investigations into baggage theft are hindered by significant logistical challenges, particularly in areas such as cargo loading and transit zones where surveillance cameras are absent. This lack of oversight complicates the identification of suspects. Furthermore, the reliance on outsourced loaders and third-party ground staff adds another layer of difficulty in tracking down those responsible for thefts. Police are particularly concerned that staff involved in baggage scanning or handling may be tipping off thieves about valuable items, such as cash or gold, hidden within luggage.
Priya Gavai (22) of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar reported $2,000, equivalent to around Rs 1.96 lakh, missing from her cabin bag after reaching Cairo on an EgyptAir flight to Moscow. Her mother, Seema Ingle (46), a schoolteacher, said airline staff had asked Gavai to place her purse in the cabin bag. Because cabin storage space was unavailable, she later handed it to a crew member.
At Cairo airport, she found the lock broken and the currency missing.
In the second case, Sanika Rampurkar (19) of Ratnagiri reported $4,625, equivalent to around Rs 4.5 lakh, stolen while travelling to Adler on an Etihad Airways flight. She reached Adler on Aug 27 but received her cabin and luggage bags on Aug 28. She found 46 $100 notes, one $20 note and one $5 note missing. Her father, Sachin Rampurkar (49), also a schoolteacher, said the money had been arranged through loans and savings for her medical college fees and annual expenses in Russia.
Her flight, scheduled to travel via Abu Dhabi, was diverted to Istanbul.