The Denver Police Department has arrested a suspect in connection with multiple luggage thefts at Denver International Airport (DIA).
Incident Overview
On June 1, Patricia Swanson arrived at DIA’s baggage claim carousel 18 and discovered one of her bags was missing. A few days later, a Denver PD detective informed her via voicemail that her bag had been stolen.
“It was taken by a known luggage thief that we had filed on a couple days prior,” the detective stated in the voicemail.
Arrest Details
The arrest affidavit, obtained by Denver7 Investigates, identifies Keith Moore as the suspect. Moore is accused of stealing eight bags within a few hours on May 24. The affidavit also suggests he may be responsible for additional thefts.
Moore was initially arrested at the airport on May 24 but returned on June 1, when he allegedly stole Swanson’s bag again.
Ongoing Issue
Luggage theft is a persistent problem at DIA. As of June 1, 111 bags have been reported stolen this year. In previous years, 298 bags were stolen in 2023, 324 in 2022, and 239 in 2021.
Denver International Airport declined to comment on security concerns but emphasized that Denver PD “takes several steps to prevent and minimize luggage/bag theft at DEN.” These steps include assigning officers to patrol the terminal and luggage claim areas and investigating theft reports with the goal of holding offenders accountable.
Recent Developments
On Monday night, Denver police re-arrested Moore on theft charges related to Swanson’s stolen luggage. The suitcase was later found in the airport’s lost and found, missing most of its contents.
“Apparently the thief dumped it, minus most of the contents,” said Swanson, who had already left Colorado. United Airlines arranged for the bag to be sent to Swanson’s hometown.
Public Awareness
Swanson highlighted the need for better security measures at DIA, stating, “I just want to shed light on this that a lot of people are experiencing this at DIA, so there’s got to be a better security system in place. And they need to be accountable for this.”
A Denver PD spokesperson urged DIA patrons to remain vigilant with their belongings and to report any suspicious activity to the police.
