Haneda Airport Security Screening Agent Arrested for Alleged Stealing Money from Passengers at Security Checkpoint

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:08 JST, September 16, 2025

A security screening agent at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of stealing money from a passenger at a security checkpoint.

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating additional suspected thefts amounting to about ¥1.5 million from a total of 80 passengers since August.

According to the MPD, the 21-year-old suspect allegedly stole ¥90,000 after a male passenger placed the money on a tray to be screened at around 6:25 p.m. on Saturday. The checkpoint was used by Japan Airlines at the airport’s Terminal 1.

“I wanted to feel the thrill of stealing money,” the suspect reportedly told the police. “I was going to use it to help pay for daily necessities.”

The suspect put the money in his chest pocket while the victim was passing through a metal detector. He then went to a toilet in the airport, where he hid the money inside a toilet roll in one of the stalls.

The victim noticed that his money was missing and informed another security agent. The police identified the suspect through security footage.

The suspect was employed by a security service company contracted by JAL.