Passenger’s Apple Watch Tracks Down Airport Baggage Thief

A former employee at an airport terminal shop is facing prison time, thanks to a Spirit Airlines passenger’s Apple watch. College student Paola Garcia had packed her jewelry, designer clothes, computer and two Apple watches in her pink rolling carry-on bag but was asked to check it due to overstuffed overhead bins. When she arrived at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) on March 3, she said she waited patiently at Terminal 4 baggage claim, but her bag didn’t show.

Spirit told her the bag would turn up and they would send it to her home, but the next day, she noticed that the tracking function of one of her Apple watches was showing it was at a residential house in Fort Lauderdale. She called the phone number at the house, but got no response, so she drove to the location. (Sanity Alert: DO NOT DO THIS!) She took photos and video of several pieces of luggage, then called the police, who said “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

It turns out a resident at the house, Junior Bazile, was found to be a worker at one of the shops at the airport, and he was on duty the day Garcia’s bag went missing. The shop owner turned over surveillance video that showed Bazile rolling a bag matching Garcia’s into a back room, going through it, and removing the computer, watches and other items.

Bazile was arrested and charged with grand theft (stealing items valued at $750 or more) and faces the possibility of five to 30 years in prison. And though the items were presumably recovered, the airline issued Garcia a reimbursement check as a courtesy, though Spirit said it does not believe one of its employees was involved in the theft.

The Broward County Airport Authority (BCAD) noted that all airport employees undergo a criminal background check, adding, “When BCAD is made aware of any illegal activity that may be occurring at FLL, we work closely with the appropriate local and/or federal law enforcement partners to address the matter as swiftly as possible. Please note, passenger bags checked with an airline are under that carrier’s care and responsibility.”