Nearly 600 incidents of theft were reported since November 2003 with an estimated $200,000 in losses. U.S. Postal Inspectors and military criminal investigators noted suspicious behavior among cargo handlers employed by Aeroground at San Francisco International Airport.

Kevin Ryan, the U.S. attorney for Northern California, said the 15 defendants pleaded guilty during the last two weeks and the final defendant entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White in San Francisco yesterday morning.

The contents of the parcels and their value were listed on customs declaration forms.  The defendants allegedly read the forms to decide which items to steal.

Workers concealed merchandise under their clothing and took it to their vehicles in an adjoining parking lot, according to court documents.

Stolen items included laptop computers, DVD players, jewelry, Victoria’s Secret merchandise and digital cameras. After items were removed, the packages were retaped and sent to Okinawa.

A 16th and final defendant is believed hiding in the Philippines, prosecutors said.

The defendants face a maximum five-year prison sentence each. The pleas were taken over two weeks, ending Tuesday, authorities said.

 The 15 people who pleaded guilty include Arthur Balmes, 24, of Hayward; Agosto Biagon, 30, of San Francisco; Leonardo Briosos, 51, and Rodolfo Briosos, 52, of Daly City; Francis Maroto, 26, of Sacramento; Rafael Martinez, 24, of San Bruno and Douglas Meehleib, 40, of Daly City.

Others are Gabriel Navarrette, 20, of Pacifica; Jesus Navarro, 23, of Burlingame; Arnel Salaver, 46, of South San Francisco; Fetongi Sanft, 20, and Vaea Sanft, 20, of East Palo Alto; Elgin Sarique, 30, of South San Francisco; Sosaia Tauelangi, 21, of East Palo Alto; and Segundo Tiongco, 40, of San Francisco.