2 Courier Aides Held in $550,000 Thefts

Two Federal Express employees have been arrested after more than $550,000 worth of jewelry, silver bars and watches were stolen in a series of thefts of parcels going through the firm’s office at Los Angeles International Airport, police and company officials said Wednesday night.

The men were arrested in two separate investigations and it is not yet known if they worked together, said Detective Lt. Tim McBride, head of the Pacific Detective Division of the Los Angeles Police Department. “At present, we have no reason to believe the two sets of thefts are linked,” McBride said.

Michael McClain, 29, a truck driver who delivered packages for Federal Express, was arrested at his Rialto home Tuesday in one investigation involving the disappearance of more than $500,000 worth of jewelry and silver bars, McBride said. The valuables were stolen from parcels between May 30 and July 3, said Greg Fink, western region security manager of Federal Express.

The stolen goods totaled more than 75 items, including rings, necklaces, bracelets, $54,000 worth of silver bars, $16,000 worth of rare coins and $6,000 in cash, McBride said.

Federal Express security experts and Los Angeles police detectives conducted an intensive surveillance of operations at the airport. On July 15 they arrested Joe Michael Malone, 24, of Inglewood in the Federal Express building and recovered two diamond rings, worth about $50,000, that he had allegedly pulled out of packages and stuffed in his pockets, police said.

McBride said Malone, who had worked for eight months in the firm’s airport warehouse sorting packages, has been charged with one count of grand theft. McClain, who is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail, will be charged with receiving stolen property.