American Flight Attendant Arrested, Accused of Stealing 700 lbs. of Donated Coins Meant for UNICEF

A Miami-based American flight attendant has been arrested for stealing thousands of dollars in coins meant for charity.

An American Airlines employee is accused of stealing thousands of dollars in coins intended for children’s charity UNICEF. Marco Costa, 56, was arrested by Port Authority police on January 31 on charges of possession of stolen property and grand larceny.

Upon arrival in the U.S. on select international flights, American’s inbound passengers are asked to donate their unwanted coinage to UNICEF. These donations are made as part of the charity’s Change for Good program, which is aimed at helping poor children around the globe.

It is alleged that Costa would patrol aisles where passengers waited at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and ask them for donations. Rather than sending the donations to UNICEF, though, it appears that Costa hid them in the trunk of his car in the American employee parking lot.

On October 6 of last year, Port Authority officials noted that the registration sticker on Costa’s car had expired and that his trunk sagged low to the ground. After ruling out the presence of an explosive device, the vehicle was searched and the stolen coins were found.

According to Port Authority spokesman Joe Pentagelo, Costa collected nearly $5,000 in stolen donations — around $150 in U.S. currency, $2,900 in euros and $1,800 in British pounds — between January 2013 and October 2014. But according to court records, Costa also claimed that 75 percent of the 700-pound haul was his.

“We hold our employees to the highest standards in integrity and do not tolerate theft,” American spokeswoman Andrea Huguely told MailOnline. “We will continue to work closely with law enforcement on this matter.”