Luggage theft has been a problem for airports across the country, and Chicago's O'Hare Airport is no different. This time, however, the suspected thief targeted the wrong victim.
O'Hare Airport baggage handler Abdoulaye Barry is accused of stealing a Chicago police officer's gun from his checked luggage, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.
The 23-year-old was arrested on Wednesday evening when police officers pulled him over for an unrelated reason. They allegedly found an officer's gun in a plastic bag in his front pocket and ran the gun's serial number. It had been reported stolen by the gun's owner sometime between Sunday and Wednesday, according to the Sun-Times.
Instead of just theft charges, Barry now faces several serious weapon charges for taking the wrong item out of the wrong victim's bag.
Barry was booked on charges of aggravated concealment of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon, possession of ammunition without a valid Firearm Owner Identification (FOID) card and failure to possess a FOID card, according to police News Affair Officer Laura Kubiak.
Aggravated concealment of a weapon alone is a class 4 felony offense, which is punishable by up to three years in state prison.
Abdoulaye Barry is innocent until proven guilty in criminal cases. However, given the severity of the charges against him, he should consider speaking with an experienced Chicago criminal defense attorney or public defender about his case.
As for the warning this provides for future travelers, make sure you put identifying information on your luggage and have a detailed list of what you bring inside it - just in case it gets lost or stolen.
Related Resources:
- Find a Chicago Criminal Defense Attorney (FindLaw)
- Baggage Handler Accused of Stealing Cop's Gun (The News-Gazette)
- Illinois Gun Control Laws (FindLaw)
- What is the Law on Lost or Stolen Luggage? (FindLaw's Common Law)
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