I-Team Exclusive: Philadelphia Police, U.S. Airways Conduct Sting Operation To Bust Thief At PHL
By Walt Hunter
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- An exclusive CBS 3 I-Team Investigation reveals Philadelphia Police, working with an airline, are now conducting a joint undercover investigation hoping to protect flyers from being victimized by thieves at Philadelphia International Airport.
The I-Team has learned police, working with U.S. Airways security, conducted at "sting" aboard a plane at Terminal "C" Thursday night, leading to the arrest of a worker for a cleaning service contracted by the airline.
Police say they set up surveillance on a flight that had just landed, leaving an I-Pad on one of the seats, making it appear it had been left behind by a passenger.
A cleaning crew worker, identified by police as 22-year-old Wade Yogboh, allegedly picked up the device, but instead of turning it over to officials, she's accused of wrapping it in plastic and stashing it in a trash receptacle, after first shutting off the tracking mechanism.
Yogboh, who is charged with theft, did not respond to a request for comment.
Police say they launched the proactive initiative to stop theft after a number of reports from passengers, complaining that smart phones and other devices left behind on planes could not be found.
The I-Team, last Thursday, broadcast for the first time a video of three former American Airlines workers rifling through passengers bags and stealing items.
The three workers have since pled guilty, while a judge found a fourth employee not guilty.
