BANGLADESH

A security officer at New York's John F Kennedy International Airport has been arrested after being accused of stealing $ 5,000 from a Bangladeshi traveller's coat.

Alexandra Schmid, 32, arrested on Wednesday night (local time), is a baggage screener for the airport's Transportation Security Administration.

Helen Peterson, spokesperson for Queens County district attorney Richard A Brown, told on Thursday evening that the theft took place around 8pm Thursday (local time) at JFK's Terminal 4 security check point.

"The man who had retrieved his coat from an X-ray machine belt told authorities a short time later that $5,000, which was in an envelope, was missing from its pocket," she said.

JFK port authority police spokesman Al Della Fave said when investigators checked surveillance camera videos, they saw screener Alexandra remove the envelope, wrap it in a latex glove, and depart for the bathroom. However, when investigators found the woman, she did not have the money on her.

"We assume she may have passed it off to an accomplice, so the investigation is continuing," he said.

Schmid was a 4 1/2-year old employee of the airport. She was charged with theft and violation of discipline in Queens criminal court.

Baggage-theft arrests have been on the rise in airports.

In Texas last Tuesday (local time), a Dallas airport screener was arrested with eight stolen iPods.

On Feb 1, a Memphis airport screener was sentenced to eight months in jail for stealing a laptop last year.