Two Spirit Airlines agents are facing theft charges after a passenger alleged they stole their $500 Louis Vuitton purse from a Florida airport.
The passenger was flying on a Spirit flight from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to Austin, Texas, on October 19 when the incident allegedly occurred.
According to an affidavit obtained by the Daily Mail, the passenger arrived just after 8pm to fly to Austin and left her Louis Vuitton wristlet on the counter.
The designer wristlet was handed in to an employee working at the gate counter 10 minutes later by a stranger who had found it, the document said.
Three days after the purse had been handed in, guest supervisor Olukunle Idowu, 49, and Hyacinth Linton, 56, were allegedly seen taking the purse out of the drawer at 5:37am in CCTV footage viewed by investigators, according to the document.
Idowu then allegedly took the items out of the wristlet and put them in a plastic bag, which he later threw out at around 6am, as the pair left the airport.
Linton allegedly placed the purse inside her ‘personal backpack’ after they had emptied it, the affidavit said.
Two Spirit Airlines agents are facing theft charges after a passenger alleged they stole their $500 Louis Vuitton purse from a Florida airport (stock image)
Court records show that Linton was arrested on November 13. She was charged with petit theft worth under $40 and was released after posting a $500 bond. A plea has not been entered.
Idowu was arrested on November 21 and pleaded not guilty to a charge of petit theft valued at more than $100 and less than $750.
The Daily Mail has contacted Spirit Airlines for comment.
In Florida, according to Musca Law Criminal Defense Attorneys, petty theft is defined as the act of unlawfully taking property valued below $750.
Meanwhile, an individual who steals property appraised at less than $300 commits petit theft.
An initial hearing is currently scheduled for January 8, People reported.
‘We are aware that two employees were charged in November for an alleged theft,’ Spirit Airlines said in a statement to the publication.
‘One employee has been suspended without pay, and the other is on a leave of absence.
The passenger was flying on a Spirit flight from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to Austin, Texas, on October 19 when the incident occurred (stock image)
‘We are conducting a thorough investigation into this matter and will take further action as deemed necessary following the conclusion of our investigation,’ the statement continued.
According to the Spirit Airlines website, if passengers leave items on an aircraft or at a Spirit ticket counter or gate area, they can report the missing item online by lodging a report.
If a passenger leaves an item in another area of the airport, they are asked to reach out to that specific airport’s Lost and Found Property Office.
According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), items left behind at security checkpoints are held by TSA for a minimum of 30 days or until the item is reunited with the original owner.
The Lost and Found contacts are for items left at TSA security checkpoints or items missing from checked baggage.
