JFK International in NYC isn’t just one of the busier airports in the country, it’s also reportedly the place in the Big Apple for passengers to have stuff stolen out of their bags.

CBS NY reports that more than 200 such thefts occur every day at the airport, with much of it apparently happening after travelers hand off their bags to airline and airport personnel.

“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,” one lawyer tells CBS.

“What we’re seeing out there is that really anything that isn’t nailed down is being stolen and for that matter I would caution, some day, if there weren’t tires missing from an aircraft,” says a former NYPD detective.

The lawyer alleges that the thieves are often able to get away with the crimes because stolen bags will just be written off as lost luggage by the airlines.

“The airlines don’t want to report these thefts because it’s bad for business,” he says. “Fares go up clearly because of this. It’s a cost of doing business. They pay out and they hide the fact that these items are stolen.”

The Port Authority of New York/New Jersey, which operates JFK, tells CBS that it’s going to install more cameras around the airport.

Exclusive: The Stunning JFK Airport Baggage Scandal; 200 Thefts Per Day [CBS NY]

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