CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) -
Several Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department sources tell WBTV that tensions are starting to run a little deep in some areas between the officers who patrol the property and the airport management.
Officers we've learned are limited in the places they can park, and in some instances they have not been allowed access to see what's on some security cameras.
And that's something that could have helped in one current investigation.
Passengers have heard the warnings far too often.
Stay aware of your surroundings, and pay attention to your belongings.
However, in this era of electronic devices not everyone is following the memo.
Jim Muse is a passenger visiting Charlotte from Chicago.
He said, "It can easily walk away. You always hold it or make sure you've two hands on it. Whatever."
CMPD has a deeper footprint at Charlotte Douglas International.
With beefed up security, and more officers on the premises, it appears that there is a spike in the theft of I pads, but officers have managed to outsmart the crooks.
In nearly a half dozen cases, devices are wiped clean with the "find my I-pad feature".
However, cops assigned to terminal are now leaning on a paper trail.
They obtain search warrants, contact Apple which reactivates the tracking feature, and in many instances the stolen tablets are found.
Jorge Moreno is a limo driver who never lets his tablet out of his site.
"Turn around somebody might grab it from you," he said.
From this terminal, the stolen electronic devices have ended up on Ebay and as far away as Colombia, South America.
Paul Jordan who's in South Carolina of business says his I-pad never leaves his side.
"I'm surprised people let them out of their site,"Jordan said. " Usually, people are pretty observant."
So far no arrests in this ongoing investigation, and sources close to the case say in recent week police have located stolen goods from the airport.
Articles taken from the terminal in at least one case have been located at home of an airport employee.
We contacted the airport manager's office, but our calls were not returned.
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