MIRAMAR- Two employees of Spirit Airlines (NK) have been charged with theft after a passenger’s $505 Louis Vuitton wristlet was allegedly stolen at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL).
The incident occurred as the passenger prepared to board a Spirit Airlines flight to Austin, Texas (AUS), prompting an internal investigation and criminal charges tied to employee conduct at an airport gate.
Spirit Airlines Staff Steals $505 Wristlet
The alleged theft took place on October 19, when the passenger left her Louis Vuitton wristlet, valued at $505, on a gate counter while preparing to board her flight. The wristlet was handed to Spirit Airlines employees working at the gate at the time.
Court records state that 3 days later, Spirit Airlines supervisor Olukunle Idowu, 49, found the wristlet inside a drawer at the gate area.
Surveillance footage shows Idowu taking possession of the item and looking through its contents. The alleged theft was first reported by the Miami Herald.
According to court documents, Idowu carried the wristlet to a gate two positions away and conducted a full inventory of its contents.
Shortly afterward, fellow Spirit Airlines employee Hyacinth Linton, 56, joined him at the counter.
Video footage reportedly shows Linton emptying the wristlet’s contents onto the counter. Within seconds, Idowu scooped the items into a plastic bag, while Linton placed the wristlet “deep inside” her backpack, using wording quoted directly in court records.
The affidavit further states that Idowu later discarded the plastic bag containing the remaining contents into a trash bin.
Arrests, Charges, and Legal Status
Idowu was arrested on November 21 and charged with petit theft involving property valued between $100 and $750.
He entered a not guilty plea. No bond information was listed for him, and jail records indicate he is no longer in custody.
Linton was arrested earlier, on November 13, and charged with petit theft involving property valued at under $40. She posted a $500 bond and has not yet entered a plea.
According to reporting by the Independent, the Broward Sheriff’s Office was contacted for additional information as the case continues.
Airline Response and Employment Actions
Spirit Airlines confirmed that both employees were charged in November in connection with the alleged theft.
The airline stated that one employee has been suspended without pay, while the other has been placed on a leave of absence.
In its statement, Spirit Airlines said it is conducting a thorough internal investigation and will take further action as deemed necessary once the investigation is complete.
The airline also reiterated that it conducts background checks on all employees in accordance with applicable laws.
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