Pinpont theft from a passenger's luggage

Following a recent letter in The Times entitled How Safe Is Passengers' Luggage by Derek Varey from Yorkshire, I wish to draw attention to my recent experience.

As a frequent flier to and from Malta (we have an apartment in Gozo), I recently returned via Air Malta to Birmingham. On unpacking my suitcase at home, I soon realised my luggage had been tampered with and found that my gold (not the cheaper silver items) had been stolen, together with my pearl necklace and my digital camera. It is worth noting here that the jewellery was zipped and fastened into a small travelling bag and this was then secured into a small leather handbag, together with my camera, and packed well down the suitcase.

Did someone know what was in my suitcase? Was my suitcase scanned after being checked in? Baggage arrives too quickly into Birmingham for this sort of theft to have happened there.

This episode is criminal and emotional enough, but my anger is now directed at Air Malta. I have sent several e-mails addressed to two separate people in Customer Care. These have not been acknowledged. The first was opened but ignored, the second was "deleted without being read". I have now left several telephone messages for these same two people and still no response. Air Malta Customer Care is therefore refusing to have any dealings with me.

To that end, therefore, I wish this matter to be brought into the public domain. As an Air Malta passenger, I frequently browse through their in-flight magazine and read their pride in widening their services. Luqa airport security (witness the armed police pacing around) and Air Malta Customer Care is nothing more than a joke! It also begs the question, is there a "ring" of criminal activity? If so, I suggest the armed police go behind the scenes and sort it out!

Between ourselves and friends visiting our apartment, we account for around 30 flights via Air Malta per year. Does Air Malta really want to lose this sort of business?