Two Gatwick security staff were warned they face tough sentences for helping themselves to expensive goods from holidaymakers' luggage.

They plundered jewellery, phones and cameras as they checked bags at the airport.

Luis Coelho, 26, of Rother Crescent, Gossops Green, Crawley, admitted four charges of theft and 19 similar crimes.

Joao Vasconcelos, 24, of Pyecombe Court, Bewbush, Crawley, admitted two charges of theft after helping to take a camcorder and two mobile phones.

They were caught after British Airways launched undercover surveillance following a surge in complaints from passengers earlier this year.

The pair, who worked for Initial Aviation Security, were arrested after being caught on camera rifling through bags.

A police operation involving 120 officers was launched on March 2. Seven people were arrested, the homes of several airport security workers were raided and goods worth up to £100,000 were seized.

Coelho and Vasconcelos should have been searching for bombs and weapons using X-ray machines.

But they were seen rummaging through people's clothes and stealing goods on the third level of the North Terminal, the court heard.

Coelho admitted taking a ring, watches and a camera worth a total of £3,530 from one bag alone.

He also stole two Nokia 3310 mobile phones worth a total of £200 from a second bag, a Canon camcorder from a third and a Nokia 3330 from the fourth.

The men pleaded guilty at Crawley Magistrates Court yesterday and will go before crown court for sentencing.

Rob Saunders, chairman of the bench, said: "These matters are so serious you should receive greater punishment than we can impose."

Sussex Police launched a three-year investigation into allegations security staff were helping themselves to people's prized possessions.

Secret cameras were installed and between January 31 and March 11 this year when the two men were filmed rummaging through bags, the court heard.

A raid at the home of Coelho's girlfriend, who was not named in court, recovered thousands of pounds of equipment.

Among the haul were eight items of jewellery seen taken from the bag captured on camera and one of the mobile phones.

Coelho asked for 19 other matters - and Vasconcelos five - to be taken into consideration.

Mark Kateley, prosecuting, said: "Both the offenders are employees of the security firm Initial Aviation Security at Gatwick.

"These offenders are two of some 13 defendants in total who were arrested as a result of a police operation.

"Under no circumstances are staff entitled to search or enter passengers' bags without the passenger being present or a supervisor present. Their job is to search for explosives, weapons or objects which threaten security.

"The investigation was a result of concerns from British Airways that bags had been interfered with and there was a high level of thefts recorded.

"A number of people were observed tampering with bags, including Coelho and Vasconcelos and that resulted in arrests."

Jeremy Boots, defending, said he did not wish to make any representation.

The two men face up to six months in prison or a £5,000 fine for each offence and will be sentenced at Lewes Crown Court.

A date for the hearing will be set.