The authorities at Ngurah Rai International Airport admitted this week that theft of items from passengers’ luggage continued and said an airport security officer had been caught in the act and arrested.

The alleged thief took a cellphone from a bag belonging to a military officer after it passed through an X-Ray-scanning machine he was operating, said Bali Police chief Paulus Purwoko, adding that the bag had not been locked.

It was “disappointing” that security officers were involved in thefts at the airport, he said, calling on the airport management in adopt a new system for hiring such personnel.