My daughter’s 21st was ruined by heartless airport thieves who broke into our padlocked luggage after check-in

AIRPORT thieves stole a daughter’s 21st birthday presents from a padlocked suitcase which had been checked in. 

The gifts included a Tiffany necklace, a Thomas Sabo bracelet,  around £300 in cash and birthday cards for Ella Read.  

She will celebrate her birthday while on holiday in Portugal on Saturday. Manchester Airport, EasyJet and its baggage handling agent are investigating.

Mum Catherine, who will turn 51 on holiday on Monday, said: "We're absolutely shocked that this can happen.

"You pay for a service, you pay for a suitcase and you even put a padlock on it and this happens. It's an absolute disgrace.

"Ella always wanted to come to Lisbon. Now she's got no birthday cards or anything to open on her birthday."

The family, from Hyde, Greater Manchester, checked in one large suitcase, which was secured by a padlock with a four-digit code.

But they noticed the lock and items were missing when the bag came through quickly when they landed in Lisbon.

Catherine believes the crime happened while the bag was at Manchester Airport as, she says, it was quickly removed from the plane by baggage handlers in Lisbon and soon on the luggage carousel in the arrivals hall. 

Other members of the family bought replacement birthday cards for Ella's 21st.

Catherine said: "It's not right. Why should they be able to go through people's personal belongings?

"It's not a nice feeling knowing someone has gone through your personal belongings."

A spokesman for Easyjet said: "We are sorry to learn of the Read family’s experience.

"We take all allegations of this nature very seriously and are investigating this with our baggage handling partner at Manchester Airport.

";We work closely with all of our airport partners to ensure our passengers’ bags are handled securely.

"We are in touch with the family to apologise for their experience and offer any further assistance we can in the matter."

Airlines contract ground handling agents to handle travellers' baggage.

A spokesperson for Manchester Airport said: "It is disappointing to hear of the Read’s experience while travelling to Portugal, and are assured by Easyjet they will be fully investigating the matter."