Theft at the airport

I have read every single letter that has been printed in The Times over the past couple of weeks after I highlighted the problem of items being stolen from luggage at MIA. I am the first to admit, and I did say so, that I was asking for trouble putting valuables in my suitcases. I also said that irrespective of what is packed it is still my own personal property and no one has the right to break my padlock and help themselves to my items. I make no apology for calling them Fagin and Artful Dodgers because they are very well organised and they always seem to get away with it.

Dave Hodson, Gerry Cowie and Jennifer Stevens all wrote in on May 3 and they all had valid points that I agree with. Everything that you pack is still valuable to whoever packed it and to find it stolen by someone who is in a position of trust really does get you thinking as to whether you should go on holiday anyway.

What everybody is missing though is the fact that no one at MIA even had the guts to admit that thieving is going on or even to make a statement to say that they are investigating these claims. I am sure that if they found their cases tampered with they would be the first to complain.

As for the security situation, has anyone thought that if they find it so easy to remove things, how easy it would be to put things in?

As Mr Hodson rightly points out, tourism is vital to Malta. Arriving here and returning home with good memories of a friendly nation will give tourists the incentive to come back and to tell their friends what a great place this is to visit. It may only be a small occurrence of theft but like wildfire it can spread and destroy everything that the honest people of these islands deserve.

I can only hope that someone will come forward and say that something is being done and the next time I fly from MIA my luggage will arrive with all its contents intact.

Also, as an addition to my previous letters, Robbie Borg of British Jet still has not contacted me and it's now getting on for eight months. He finds it easier to talk to The Times than to me.