Three workers at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport have been arrested for stealing smartphones and other expensive items during passenger security checks.

The border police service Koninklijke Marechaussee said on Friday the arrests are the result of a five-month investigation involving secret cameras to monitor staff activity.

Two people were arrested at the airport and one at home in Alkmaar.

Busy

Smartphones, tablet computers and other items were stolen from passengers while their possessions were being scanned for weapons. Passengers failed to notice the items had gone missing because it is so busy at security checks, Nos television reported.

‘The integrity of the airport was at stake so we wanted to trace the thieves as quickly as possible,’ said a police spokesman. However, there is no need to tighten up the screening of airport workers, the spokesman said.

Last November, 20 airport workers were arrested in connection with an investigation into drug smuggling.