Two baggage handlers working at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport have been arrested after allegedly stealing a luxury watch worth nearly $79,000 from a traveller’s checked luggage, The New York Post reported. The suspects, identified as 42-year-old Thaddeus Porter and 18-year-old Morris Robinson, were taken into custody following an investigation by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.
When he checked inside, he discovered that his Patek Philippe Aquanaut wristwatch, which he had tucked inside a pair of shoes for safekeeping, was missing. The watch is valued at approximately $79,050. Both men were arrested later that same day and booked into jail on charges of felony theft involving property valued over $25,000.
Investigators reviewed airport security footage to track down who had handled the luggage during transit. The surveillance recordings helped deputies identify Porter and Robinson, who were handling baggage for the airline the victim flew on. As per the media outlet, Court records indicate that each suspect posted a $25,000 bond on September 25 and was released pending further legal proceedings.
