Photo: Peter Dazeley / The Image Bank / Getty Images
An airline passenger whose luggage went missing took matters into her own hands and located it herself. Paola Garcia told WPLG that she was flying out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in March, but her Spirit Airlines flight was canceled.
Passengers were told their luggage would taken off the plane and it could be retrieved at the airport's baggage claim.
After waiting over two hours for her pink roller bag, Garcia was frustrated and spoke to a Spirit Airlines employee, who told her that her bag would be sent to her house.
The next morning, Garcia's bag had not arrived at her house, so she decided to track the location of the electronics in her bag. She was shocked to find that her items weren't at the airport; they were at an address in Fort Lauderdale.
Garcia went to the home to retrieve her luggage, but nobody was there. She did see several pieces of luggage near the front door and took photos before calling 911.
Officers determined that the person who lived there, Junior Geneus Bazile, worked in a store at the airport. Police spoke to the store's loss prevention manager, who shared surveillance camera footage that showed Bazile rummaging through a pink roller bag in the store's back room.
Belize was taken into custody and charged with grand theft in the third degree.
While there is no evidence that any Spirit Airlines employees were involved in the theft, the airline reimbursed Garcia for her stolen luggage.