Hols hotspot airport employee arrested for stealing luxury watch and diamond bracelet worth £18,000 from tourist’s bag

AN AIRPORT employee at a holiday hotspot was arrested for stealing a luxury watch and diamond bracelet worth £18,000 from a tourist's bag.

Spanish police at Palma airport arrested the staff member after he attempted to rob the unsuspecting tourist who was just about to travel back home.

The high-end watch and bracelet were taken after the visitor left his bag unattended at the airport.

The shocking ordeal unfolded in the capital of the Spanish holiday hotspot island Majorca, Spain.

He mistakenly left his bag alone when returning a rental vehicle at one of the booths inside the airport.

The backpack contained the luxury jewellery worth tens of thousands of pounds as well as other personal possessions.

After realising he had left his bag behind, the backpacker immediately rushed back to pick up his belongings.

To his horror, he realised his expensive possessions were missing after checking inside the bag.

He rushed to police and filed a report quickly.

Son Sant Joan officers launched a probe into the alleged theft.

And they discovered that one of the employees of the rental car cleaning company was the alleged thief.

They then arrested him and later managed to return the stolen goods to their rightful owner.

National Police took the opportunity to remind tourists that they should always be " attentive to the belongings we carry, especially in areas with large crowds or when accessing public transport or picking up or returning a vehicle in the parking lot".

They also issued a stark warning to staff members at the airport in Palma, Spain.

Cops said staff should always "hand over any belongings we find to the municipal services".

If employees failed to do this they would face "criminal and disciplinary liability".

They also said staff should always "issue a document justifying said delivery" of each lost and found item.

This "makes it easier for the affected person to locate their belongings".

In October of last year, a tourist who left his £50,000 Mercedes with airport meet and greet parking said his car disappeared when he came back from holiday.

The holidaymaker was duped into giving an international crime gang the keys to his silver C220 AMG Mercedes at Manchester Airport.

And in February, a former flight attendant put out a stark warning about in-flight thieves who book tickets just to nick luggage.

Barbara Bacilleri, 31, shared sneaky tips for passengers who are keen to protect their luggage from onboard bandits.