- Airport worker sold stolen electronic devices
- He was sentenced to prison
A former Sydney airport worker pocketed almost half a million dollars selling stolen cargo electronics while working as a cargo handler.
The 38-year-old has been sentenced to three years and four months in jail after pleading guilty to a series of offences, including dealing with the proceeds of crime.
In a statement about the conviction, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said the man became a possible suspect following reports of a robbery at the airport in February 2022.
AFP officers executed a search warrant at the man’s home in Green Valley, northwest of Liverpool, in May 2022.
Agents seized up to $50,000 worth of smartphones, smart watches and tablets.
A former Sydney airport worker pocketed almost half a million dollars from selling electronics stolen from cargo while working as a cargo handler (file image)
Police discovered that the man had sold, given away or kept several electronic devices for personal use, which he had stolen from an air cargo container to which he had access in his role as a cargo handler.
AFP later located $189,000 in cash in the trunk of the airport employee’s car and discovered that $261,000 had been transferred to his personal bank accounts.
The man had generated a total of $450,000 in profits from the sale of stolen electronic devices.
He was soon arrested and charged with receiving stolen property and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime.
The man’s partner, 45, was also arrested and charged with two counts of dealing in money or other property reasonably suspected to be the proceeds of crime under $100,000.
They both pleaded guilty to the charges in December last year, and the woman was sentenced to 70 hours of community service.
Agents confiscated up to $50,000 worth of smartphones, smart watches and tablets (file image)
At the end of May, the man was sentenced to three years and four months in prison, with a non-parole period of two years.
Sydney Airport Police Commander Morgen Blunden told AFP that the AFP will not hesitate to capture criminals at the airport.
“People with trusted access to an airport precinct are critical to the successful operation of Australia’s tourism and business sectors, but the AFP will not hesitate to investigate and prosecute those who abuse this trust,” the detective said. Superintendent Blunden said.
“Criminals are motivated by profit and greed and the AFP has zero tolerance for those who abuse their access to air operations for their illegal activities.”