Paola Garcia Spirit Airlines passenger tracks down stolen luggage to airport worker’s Junior Bazile’s Florida home as questions are raised about a possible crime ring working out of Fort Lauderdale airport.
A Spirit Airlines passenger who had her luggage go missing was able to retrieve the ’stolen’ property after it was tracked down to an airport worker at a Florida house. But how and why the stolen items ended up at the ‘thief’s’ home has since raised questions about the dangers unsuspecting flyers may face and the potential for a crime ring trafficking in stolen passenger items.
After Paola Garcia’s checked in suitcase (carrying her vital computer) failed to appear at at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport earlier this year, the angst ridden flyer launched an investigation with Spirit Airlines.
An arrest affidavit cited Junior Bazile, 29, an airport worker being filmed on surveillance in the back of an airport retail store rummaging through Garcia’s missing suitcase, which she had been forced to check in as luggage.
Missing items ping from Fort Lauderdale home
How the retail worker was able to access the flyer’s luggage remained unclear.
The police report says he took a MacBook and other items out and then placed Garcia’s suitcase in a clear plastic bag.
Garcia’s MacBook, two Apple watches, an iPad, jewelry and designer clothes were all taken.
Back in the terminal and unaware of the theft, Spirit Airlines employees told Garcia not to worry according to WPLG.
‘We sent your luggage to your house, so I give my address to Spirit,’ she said.
But the next morning, her Apple watch was sending a signal, but not from the airport but some 15 minutes away at a Fort Lauderdale home. Emboldened, and still bereft of her computer for an afternoon class, Garcia decided to personally go see for herself where her ‘missing’ items had gone.
The Apple watch signal was coming from a house at 1017 NW 11th Ct.
Suitcases and other items found at Fort Lauderdale residence
When she arrived, Garcia said she saw suitcases all over the place, so she started to take video and called 911.
‘The first thing the police told me was like, ‘What are you doing here? This is so dangerous for you to be here,’’ Garcia told WPLG.
A Broward Sheriff’s Office detective put the address of the house through an internal airport database and found Bazile, who worked for a company that operates retail stores inside FLL.
He was working the day Garcia’s suitcase was stolen.
Unfortunately for Garcia, when police searched the home, the alleged airport thief had already managed to dispense of her valuables.
An investigation was soon launched and that’s when Bazile was captured on surveillance going over Garcia’s items at the back of a store where he worked at the airport.
Airport crime ring?
The worker was shortly arrested and charged with grand theft.
In a statement to Local 10 News, Spirit Airlines stated:
‘We issued a reimbursement check to the guest as a courtesy, even though we are not currently aware of any evidence that any Spirit employee was involved. We take any allegation of this nature seriously, and we are investigating.’
An airport spokesperson said passenger bags checked with an airline are under that carrier’s care and responsibility.
A spokesperson for Paradies Shops, which is the company Bazile worked for inside the airport, had no comment.
The incident has led to some wondering if the episode is part of a bigger ring?
‘Personally, I don’t think it’s one person working in the airport, I think it’s a group,’ Garcia said. ‘One person can’t just do that, take bags.’
Police have yet to say how Bazile got his hands on Garcia’s suitcase as the case remains under investigation.
If found guilty of grand theft, Bazile could face five to 30 years in prison and fines ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.
