Gun Thefts Reported at O'Hare Airport

Chicago police said several handguns have been stolen after being checked by passengers on United Airlines flights departing O'Hare International Airport.

Chicago police spokeswoman Monique Bond said there have been "a handful" of guns and bags containing guns reported stolen from luggage placed into the care of United Airlines employees, the Chicago Tribune reported Monday.

A spokeswoman for the Chicago-based airline said United has been "working with the authorities on this matter."

Airline security experts said the theft of items from checked luggage has been a problem at airports across the country for years. They said firearms are a common item stolen because they are easy to conceal and easy to sell.

"It's a problem at every airline and every airport," said aviation security consultant Douglas Laird. He said the baggage check system is full of vulnerabilities and thefts can occur despite laws requiring guns to be carried in locked cases.

"Nobody has ever really resolved a real way around it," Laird said. "There's a real dilemma with baggage theft in the airline industry."

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