Fourth Time in a Year, Same Airport

As if airports didn't have enough troubles, convincing the public that they're safe from the bad guys, a theft ring has apparently hit the same airport (Cape Town International, in South Africa) for the fourth time in a year.

Not only are the thieves returning to the scene of the crime, they're stealing the same things -- the approach lights.

Since the beginning of the year, the BBC reports, fifteen of the heavy, German-made lamps have been stolen, ripped from their concrete mounts on public roads near the airport. In the same report, it was noted that an unspecified quantity of luggage carts also disappeared, possibly used to help carry off the heavy lights.

The BBC noted, "The Airports Company of South Africa has increased security around the airport, with a guard posted to protect the lights, and alarmed double steel mesh cages over the lights, the Cape Times said on Thursday."

Speculation is, that the lights are being swiped by scavengers, who sell the heavy aluminum bases for scrap.

FMI: www.airports.co.za/acsa