Visiting Japanese loses AUD$1,000 at NAIA; 2 OTS X-ray operators nabbed

Two X-ray operators of the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) were arrested for allegedly taking AUD$1,000 from a Japanese national's wallet during inspection.

The airport police identified the arrested OTS members as Stephen Bartolo and Demmie James Timtim.

The two OTS member allegedly took the money from Japanese national Yuya Sakata at the screening area at the Gate of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 at around 7 p.m.

According to the Japanese national's complaint, he arrived at the Terminal 3 at around 12:45 p.m. last Wednesday.

Sakata, who arrived from Australia, decided to get out for a while because his connecting flight to Cebu was scheduled at 9:35 p.m.

The Japanese national returned to Terminal 3 at around 7 p.m. and went through the screening area at Gate 2.

When he checked his personal belongings, he noticed that AUD$1,000 (P40,000) was missing from his wallet. He claimed he had a total of AUD$2,700 in his wallet.

Sakata immediately went to the airport police to report the incident.

The airport police said that upon review of CCTV cameras, Bartolo was seen stealing money from the wallet.

Bartolo allegedly split the AUD$1,000 with Timtim.

The two OTS members are now facing complaints of qualified theft at the Pasay City Prosecutor's Office. —Jessica Bartolome/ALG, GMA News