Seven baggage handlers have been arrested on suspicion of stealing from luggage at Heathrow airport.

The men, aged between 20 and 50, were detained at Heathrow on Monday and released on bail to reappear before police at various dates later this month.

All work for Air France Serviceair Ltd at Terminal 2.

They are alleged to have been part of a conspiracy to steal from bags on Air France and the Russian carrier Aeroflot.

Electrical items

The alleged thefts come after a robbery at Heathrow last month in which two men escaped with �4.5m in cash.

Detective Inspector Mark Pepper, of Heathrow CID, said the arrests were made after an intelligence operation at the airport.

"We focused on flights to Charles de Gaulle in Paris and on Terminal 2 but that is not to say this is not happening in other terminals," he said.

Most of the items taken were electrical goods such as cameras and laptop computers.

Police recovered some property from lockers and from the homes of some of the employees.