American Airlines cleaner accused of stealing 171 items from passengers

MELBOURNE - An American Airlines employee, who allegedly stole 171 items from passengers and his employer, is now facing theft charges after the items were found in his Texas home.

Henry Ibarra, 59, a member of the American Airlines cleaning crew, targeted empty planes at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to steal valuables left on board, authorities revealed.

A police investigation into a stolen cell phone led them to Ibarras home in Fort Worth, Tex., where they found the stolen items, including cameras, iPods, headphones, Kindle readers, DVD players and cell phones.

Ibarra, who worked at American Airlines for 41 years, allegedly took the items off planes and out of luggage.

Police also said they recovered property stolen from the airline but would not elaborate on what was taken.

“We worked closely with local police on this matter, which ultimately led to the arrest of our employee,” News.com.au quoted American Airlines spokeswoman Andrea Huguely as saying.

“While the overwhelming majority of our employees are honest and hard-working, we have absolutely no tolerance for any dishonest behaviour and will take appropriate action as necessary,” she added. (ANI)