THUNDER BAY — Thunder Bay Airport is looking to increase security around its baggage carousels after a recent incident that saw a piece of luggage stolen before the owner could retrieve it.
The incident happened Friday after the traveller had disembarked from a flight from Ottawa.
She told Newswatch two other of her party's checked bags were on the carousel, so she initially assumed the third piece was still somewhere in the airline's system and would show up the next day.
They filed a delayed baggage claim, then "left the airport not thinking much of it, but then we got a call a few hours later."
The phone call was from a resident of a local shelter, who said he had found her bag at a bus stop, and was requesting money for it.
Although she and her husband ultimately were able to recover the bag without paying for it, two pairs of shoes were missing.
The woman said while she understands it's not practical to relocate the baggage carousels, she'd like to see tighter security in the area.
A spokesperson for the Thunder Bay Airport Authority called the incident "isolated," but said management is working with the security contractor to enhance security around the carousels whenever there's an arriving flight.
She said the airport will also fully cooperate with police should they they require assistance with any investigation.
