Police: Pickpockets plague Toronto airport

TORONTO, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Toronto-area police say the city's international airport is a haven for a ring of South American pickpockets, 17 of whom have been arrested in recent months.

Peel Regional Police Detective-Sgt. Malcolm Bow told the Toronto Sun the most recent arrests were Dec. 20 as two males and one female from Colombian were spotted zeroing in on targets.

"They were taking advantage of the congestion in the terminal due to holiday traffic and weather delays," Bow said.

In the past six months, police have identified 28 pickpockets working the Lester B. Pearson Airport, and 17 have been arrested, Bow said.

He said the force considers it enough of a problem that two officers have been assigned full-time to combat the ring. Police estimate as much as $500,000 was stolen from travelers at the facility in the past six months.

Investigators say many of the thieves arrested so far used Mexican papers to enter Canada, because Mexicans do not need visas to enter Canada.