Six people have been arrested, and the LAX police chief says as many as 25 are thought to be involved. "They'd just open up the suitcases and rifle through," he says.

As the sea of luggage twists and turns down rollers from terminals at Los Angeles International Airport, the bags stop briefly at large platforms where workers separate them for flights across the world.

It is there, police said, that a group of baggage handlers pulled off one of the largest property heists in airport history.

For months, detectives said, workers rifled through bags looking for items to steal.