Luggage theft probe at Milan airport

Passengers at the baggage check-in area at Milan's Malpensa Airport

MILAN, Italy -- Thirty-four baggage handlers at one of Italy's major airports have been suspended pending an inquiry into thefts from passengers' luggage.

Police said a further three handlers were under investigation as part of the probe.

The 37 baggage handlers all work at Milan's Malpensa international airport.

An investigation was launched after hidden cameras filmed staff rummaging through passengers' bags.

Local media say goods worth about $25,000 dollars have been recovered.

Under a 1995 law, an Italian company cannot permanently fire an employee found guilty of stealing until the appeals process is exhausted.

This can take up to 10 years, and any worker has the right to return to their job if the verdict is overturned -- even on purely procedural grounds.

But Giorgio Fossa, chairman of the SEA airport authority that runs Malpensa has vowed to deal harshly with anyone found guilty of theft.

"It's my strong desire to go ahead and fire these people that have harmed passengers, the company and all the honest employees," Fossa said.

Celestino Pedrazzini, a senator serving on a parliamentary transport commission, said the employees should not only be sacked but sued.

"What has happened at Malpensa has not only damaged the image of SEA but also that of the city of Milan," he told the ANSA news agency.

The inquiry has raised concern about airport security, a constant worry since the September 11 attacks in the United States.

News of the inquiry came after Malpensa has had to deal with an increase in passenger numbers due to the three-week closure of the nearby Linate airport.

Linate re-opened on Tuesday after repairs were made to runways and passenger boarding areas.