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Luggage thefts reveal flawed security at Soekarno-Hatta Terminal 3
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The Terminal 3 sign at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (JP/Ben Latuihamallo)
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series of luggage thefts at Soekarno-Hatta Airport’s Terminal 3, in which a teenager allegedly stole items from the baggage claim area, has revealed a significant security flaw at the national hub airport.
Analyst Arista Atmadjati of the Arista Indonesia Aviation Center (AIAC) said that the airport's security system should be improved, pointing out that security at the Terminal 3 baggage claim exit was too sparse and left many areas unsupervised.
“Officers should check the tags of any luggage that passengers take out of the terminal. We can’t rely on random searches anymore,” he told The Jakarta Post.
Arista said the airport security switched to conducting random searches of luggage after passengers complained that the search disrupted flow.
Soekarno-Hatta Airport Police have arrested 15-year-old DV for allegedly stealing passengers' luggage.
Read also: Teenager nabbed for allegedly stealing suitcases at Soekarno-Hatta airport
The police were alerted by a Garuda Indonesia passenger who reported on May 12 that his suitcase had been stolen while he was waiting at the Terminal 3 baggage claim area. The incident took place at around 7 p.m. after the passenger had disembarked from a Bali flight.
The police identified DV from an image caught on CCTV, tracked him down and arrested the teen at his parents’ house in Tigaraksa, Tangerang.
The police said DV had entered the baggage claim area through its exit gate. He reportedly pretended to be a passenger by carrying a suitcase of his own and gained entry by telling security officials that he had left some luggage behind. DV has allegedly stolen 10 suitcases from illegally gaining entry to the baggage claim area on several occasions. (ami/wit)
