New York, NY – American Airline Workers Accused of Theft of High Insured Packages

New York, NY – Two longtime American Airlines employees were busted for swiping more than $200,000 worth of diamonds from the cargo at Kennedy Airport.

Cargo handlers Richard Lombardo, 50, of Massapequa, LI, and Steve Tsihlas, 39, of Astoria, Queens, were arrested after airport officials discovered that the box of diamonds went missing.

"These two have been working together in the same crew for a long time like a family," "A lot of people were hurt by this," a law-enforcement source said.

The pair began eyeing the jewels after spotting a small package on the manifest insured for $235,000. The package contained cut and uncut stones – some weighing several carats.

Lombardo and Tsihlas had hidden the package. "They figured they would wait until things calmed down," the source said.

The brazenness – and timing – of the crime surprised more than a few observers.

After all, one source noted, "there's millions and millions of dollars that go through this airport every day." [NY Post]