Three men are expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Monday after traveller’s cheques worth about R1-million were stolen while cargo was loaded at Johannesburg International airport.
Inspector Dennis Adriao, spokesperson for National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi, said on Sunday that the incident occurred some time during the past week.
Two security officials from a private security company working at the airport, as well as an official from a private company contracted to load cargo on to planes, were arrested a few days after the incident.
”The cargo bag was stolen while being loaded on to an aircraft. One security guard is from Katlehong and the other is from Dobsonville.”
Adriao said the theft does not appear to be linked to previous cargo robberies at the airport.
He said the arrests followed shortly after an official from the Airports Company South Africa and a police inspector based at the airport were arrested for allegedly kidnapping and a robbing a Nigerian man in December.
Security supervisor Kowie Jacobs and police Inspector Levy Madisha allegedly dumped the man in Hillbrow and stole his briefcase, which the man claims contained a large sum in dollars.
Adriao said the recent arrests have proven that security at the airport has been beefed up considerably, and are attributed to the hi-tech equipment installed there. — Sapa