Three Utahns face federal charges for stealing luggage at SLC International Airport
Nov 17, 2023, 11:00 AM | Updated: 12:24 pm
Three Utahns are facing federal charges for stealing thousands of dollars' worth of airline travelers' luggage. (Photo courtesy of KSL) TV.
(Photo courtesy of KSL)
SALT LAKE CITY — Three Utahns are facing federal charges for making off with thousands of dollars’ worth of airline travelers’ luggage from Salt Lake City International Airport.
Court documents show a grand jury issued indictments to SLC resident Leticia Marie Torres and Midvale resident Brianna Marie Taylor. Both of which are 42 years old. Another indictment was issued to West Valley City resident Charles Masters, 31 years old.
Federal prosecutors accuse Torres and Taylor of aggravated identity theft and illegal transactions with an access device. The specific claim is that the women used another person’s identification information and credit card numbers to make over a thousand dollars’ worth of purchases.
KSL reported on Torres’s arrest last January, when police claimed she had stolen one bag valued at six thousand dollars.
Masters received five counts of baggage theft from an interstate shipping. A press release says he is accused of stealing luggage worth several thousand dollars.
This could be a good refresher on how to keep your luggage safe while flying, according to the SLCPD and Salt Lake International Airport.
How to keep your luggage safe:
- Place valuables in a carry-on.
- Avoid luxury-brand luggage that could attract potential thieves.
- Use stickers, tape, or rope to make the bag stand out.
- Record what gets packed and take a picture of the bag. Photos can help investigators and insurance.
- Go straight from the plane to the baggage carousel after landing.
- Mark the bag with personal identification–think phone number and name but not address.
- File reports with the police, the Transportation Security Administration if the bag appears to be missing.
- Report suspicious activity to airport staff.
Data from the Department of Transportation shows that just under 220,000 bags were “mishandled” in just April 2022. That includes bags that are damaged, delayed, lost, or stolen.
