International shame for the TRNC as airport staff steals more than 10m TL worth of items from passengers

The weak security at Ercan Airport in north Cyprus has caused an unknown number of passengers huge losses as at least 10 million TL has been lost to organized theft by airport staff. 

This week, the police arrested three Turkish Cypriot citizens who specializes in stealing form passengers luggage during separation and classification according to the plane they will board.

Three people working in the "shooting area" at the airport took advantage of the lack of cameras in the area where they stole jewelries and technological devices from the suitcases of 6 passengers, between September and November 2023, according to initial findings.

The police admitted in court that they started receiving such notices after the New Ercan Airport was opened.

After the incident was reported in the press, many people from Turkey and Germany complained to the police and decided to come to the north Cyprus to testify.

Three suspects named SA, 41, HY, 45 and AV, 29 who were arrested within the scope of the 'Check In' operation, were brought to court again on Friday, and it was decided that they would be detained in police custody for another 7 days for investigation purposes.

The police announced that the value of the jewelry and electronic items found in the house of only one of the suspects was 10 million TL, according to initial investigations.

Speaking in court, the police stated that the suspects said in their statements that they opened "high quality suitcases, especially women's suitcases, in case they found jewelery."

Police stated that the investigation is continuing and that new complainants will arrive in the country on Monday.

What happened?

The suspects, who worked as baggage collection officers at the Istanbul Handling company in the passenger departures section of Ercan Airport, opened the suitcase belonging to passenger AH, who was leaving the country at around 7.30am on September 13, 2023, and took 2,700 pounds in cash.

The suspects opened the suitcase belonging to passenger FG, who was leaving the country, at around 9.45am on September 27 and stole 20,000 TL in cash.

The suspects opened the suitcase belonging to E.Ö., who was leaving the country at around 2:00am on October 24, 2023, and found an 18 carat gold men's necklace, an 18 carat gold men's tag, an 18 carat gold women's necklace, which was kept in a handbag inside the suitcase. They stole a jewelry set consisting of a tag and earrings, 2 18 carat gold bracelets, a Diesel brand men's wristwatch and 20 Euros in cash.

The suspects also opened the suitcase belonging to Ö.D., who left the country on November 6, 2023 at 00.40am, and found 1 single stone diamond ring, 1 five stone diamond ring, 1 gold Versace chain necklace and a Swaroski brand. They stole the earrings. Investigation was launched upon the complaints made. The police officer announced that they determined that the money and belongings were stolen on the dates and hours when the suspects were working.

The suspect SA confessed his crime in his statement and said that after the new airport was opened, he and the other 2 suspects took the items from many suitcases from the shooting section and shared them.

The police stated that many people from Turkey contacted the police after the incident was reported in the press, and that they received complaints through the Turkish Embassy in Lefkosia. The police also announced that 2 people from Germany came to the north of Cyprus and filed a complaint.

The police announced that the exact number of victims was not known, that initially a total of 6 people personally came to the police and complained, and that other complaints would come to the north of Cyprus and give statements.

Police stated that the suspects SA and HY were working on the last ramp before the luggage was taken to the plane, and the theft occurred before the loading process was completed. The police announced that there were no cameras in the place where the last luggage transactions were carried out before loading.

Police said that they determined that the suspects named HY and AV went to many casinos and gambled more than their monthly salaries. Police announced that HY received a salary of 23,000 TL, but they determined that he spent 60,000 TL on gambling in the last 10 days before his arrest.

The police also announced that they received information that HY was selling several electronic items in Yıldırım village, where he resides.

Yeniduzen