Osmal Reyes, 43, of Newark, described as an airport cleaner, has been charged with theft by unlawful taking, Port Authority police spokesman Joe Pentangelo said.
A Jersey City man took his belt off and placed it in a basket as part of the screening processing at Terminal C at 8 p.m. Monday, Pentangelo said. When he passed through the metal detector, he saw that his Louis Vuitton belt, which he said was valued at $1,500, was missing.
Port Authority police reviewed security cameras and conducted interviews and identified Reyes, who was in the area at the time, as the thief, Pentangelo said. Reyes did not have the belt with him, but police found it in Reyes’ work trolley, rolled up in a side pocket.
The pricey belt was returned to the owner, Pentangelo said. A quick perusal of the Louis Vuitton website shows a belt, the LV Initiales Inlay 40 MM, selling for $1,700 and two other belts priced at $3,500.