A baggage cart employee at JFK Airport has been charged with taking $20,000 from a passenger's computer bag after it was mistakenly left in a parking lot on May 2.
Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said 58-year old Rajendranauth Ramsahai is being accused of taking advantage of a passenger's forgetfulness and said, "Airport workers should be helping passengers – not taking advantage of them. A lost bag is not an invitation to thieves."
According to the charges, Anis Rehman accidentally left his computer case on a baggage cart in an empty parking space. Shortly after, a surveillance video caught Ramsahai walking to the cart, rummaging through the case, and then walking away with the bag which, according to the DA's office, was "packed with $20,000 cash and other valuables."
The defendant has admitted to stealing the case, but says he only took $600 and spent the money on gasoline and fast food.
In March, it was reported that a shocking 200 thefts per day are recorded at JFK Airport.
A security lawyer for the airport told CBS, "The belly of the airplane has become like a flea market for airport employees. They go in there and go through all the luggage unencumbered, unchecked."