Keep tab on internal staffs, airlines officials told

New Delhi: In a bid to combat theft cases inside the airport premises, the Delhi Police held a meeting with airlines officials and told them to keep a tab on staffs, including loaders. The move came after the investigating agency found the involvement of insiders in five theft cases reported from the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI). Talking to Millennium Post, Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI) Sanjay Bhatia said that in 2018, around 211 cases of theft were reported from the airport, of which 70 has been solved. "In some cases, we found that the accused were internal staffs of airlines. So, during the meeting, I told

airlines officials to keep a

tab on their staffs, including loaders," said Bhatia. He added that they have also started frisking staffs whenever they go inside or come outside from the airport.

In October, two executives of airlines were arrested for theft of mobile phones. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) said that during the meeting, they told airlines officials to monitor their (staffs, including loaders and helpers) movements and properly verify their antecedents before hiring. Around 50 cases this year were cancelled after the complainant found their belongings. As many as 15 persons, including passengers and taxi drivers, were arrested whereas five staffs were also found involved in theft cases. In 2017, the

city police had registered 235 theft cases, of which 28 have been solved.

An investigator said accused mostly targeted jewellery and cash to go untraced. "In mobile theft, there are chances of getting traced," said the investigator. In 2017, a 23-year-old BSc graduate was arrested in a bag theft case. He has been working as Customer Service Agent (CSA) in one of the airlines at IGI Airport.

DCP Bhatia added that they regularly take meetings with airline staffs and brief them about security measures. "Regular patrolling is going on in the jurisdiction to make the environment safe for the fliers," he added.

Recently, the IGI Airport Unit of the Delhi

Police switched to e-reporting by installing a Delhi

Police Facilitation Kiosk and Interactive Panel at the forecourt of Terminal 3. The services in the hi-tech police facilitation kiosk is available 24X7 to the public and is also manned by the dedicated officers for assistance. The Delhi Police data claimed that in 2017, more than one lakh theft cases were reported. In 2018 so far, over 1.22 lakh cases of theft have been registered with the city police.