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TSA agent helped himself to a $47,900 camera (and more!)
It's no secret that I'm not a fan of the TSA. While I fully understand the importance of keeping our planes and airports safe, I'm just not sure the TSA is up to the job. The agency is also plagued by bad PR, mainly because of incompetent staff members and insane decisions that impact us as travelers.The latest in a long lineup of bad press for the agency involves TSA screener Pythias Brown. This 48 year old resident of Maplewood, NJ was supposed to keep bad stuff off the plane, but instead, he was helping himself to valuable items from the bags of people entrusting him with their belongings.
Pythias started small, stealing cameras, laptop computers, gaming consoles and eventually moved on to the good stuff including a video camera belonging to CNN, and a $47,900 camera stored inside the bag of an HBO employee.
The items were sold on Ebay, and as you can see from his feedback listing, these were not cheap items.
His greed eventually came back to haunt him, when CNN found one of their cameras listed on Ebay. With a little help from the local police department and the USPS, Brown was apprehended.
When agents entered his house, they found 66 cameras, 31 laptop computers, jewelry, lenses, GPS devices and more.
The total value of the stolen items is well over $200,000, and if you have ever lost an expensive item when flying from Newark Liberty Airport, you'll be thrilled to hear that the TSA is taking the matter "seriously". News like this just reinforces the need to keep anything of value out of your checked bags.
Of course, this also makes me wonder just how on earth a TSA agent is able to leave the sterile area of his or her local airport with a $47,900 camera hidden in their bag. We passengers get screened, so perhaps it is time to start screening TSA staff when they enter and leave the airport?
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 11)
Ted Oct 13th 2008 3:31PM
The thief should be caned in public. The United States is all too lienient on all law breakers.
Geri Oct 13th 2008 3:32PM
I got ripped off by the TSA when traveling back from Hawaii via American Airlines. They stole a Brighton belt, with stirling silver buckles and a digital camera and they were nice enough to leave me their pamplet telling me my bag was inspected. What a joke. Since they are x-raying the luggage, I should be able to LOCK MINE UP!!!! Trust NO ONE!! doesn't matter what job they hold.
Jon P Oct 13th 2008 3:34PM
The bad thing is that the police will probably go back to all of the people who bought the items on ebay not knowing their orgin and force their return, and they will probably be out on the money that they paid for the stolen property.
Minette Oct 13th 2008 3:34PM
TSA sucks, they don't pay that well, they hire too much scum. Too many of them are on petty power trips and some of them are thieves. And there is no accountability! And they should be screened, there should be extensive background tests and even psychological screening.
AnyoneAnywhere Oct 13th 2008 4:43PM
How do you know what TSA pay? Di d you take a psy eval for your Job?
Minette Sweeney Oct 13th 2008 5:05PM
My job isn't lording it over other people. TSA has major problems and our airports aren't any more secure now then they were before 9/11! And I know somone who USED to work at Tampa International, couldn't stand the lack of professionalism they encountered regularly.
It must be easy to post under a fake name.....
whocares? Oct 13th 2008 3:36PM
Do you know where TSA agents come from? 90% if not all 100% came from jail -prison. And why are they all black
Mike Litoris Oct 13th 2008 3:40PM
Pat McGroin I agree with you completely....
Pat MaGroin Oct 13th 2008 3:41PM
Poor Mr . Pythias Brown , not only are you an alledged thief but you also have a name like a clown.The TSA put their trust in you when they allowed you to work , but being the aniaml you are you acted just like a jerk. They should lock you up and discard the key , and as for the light of day you should never be able to see. So for the rest of your life or for as long as you linger , I give you the single digit salute the good old American FINGER. You should be ashamed you future felon .
NncBal Oct 13th 2008 3:44PM
TSA is a joke and nothing but window dressing to make the American public feel safe while doing absolutely nothing to make them safe. Anyone with anything at all going for them leave shortly after being hired because it's very obvious they want only mediocre employees so they don't know how incompetent the leadership and management is. TSA is more of a threat to safety than it is a protector of it.
rebuc1 Oct 13th 2008 3:51PM
I've also had this thing with TSA. I was missing items and it took 14 mo. to be reinbursed. I sugguested that those TSA handlers have a ID# printed on those notices they place into your bags. That way if any one agent has a excessive number of missing items from the bags they inspected a flag could be thrown.
Carolyn Oct 13th 2008 3:55PM
Cant this guy get the same punishment that anyone else would have gotten if they stole 200,000 worth of other peoples belongings. Isnt that like 20 years in prison? I hope hope hope hope hope he gets the max sentence because its bad enough i have to be forced by the airline to let the degenerates and scum of the earth raid my personal belongings if i want to fly, but for them to not even watch their employees and make sure this stuff doesnt happen for three hundred bucks a friggen flight that guy better be burnt at the stake
lily Oct 13th 2008 3:52PM
The sad thing about this is that the airport had probably been reported thousands of times for thief and they only listened when CNN reported them. The reported amount of theif if probably in the millions, between him and his coworkers. Pass his photo on to everyone you know! They need to install cameras and check the employees when they leave the airport so they don't stash thier stolen goods of the day.
Again pass his photo onto everyone and post on you tube!!!!!!!!! What a loser!
johnny Oct 13th 2008 3:57PM
What a looser !!! to say the least !!! I hope the judge
throws the book at this guy !!! and he ends up in the federal pen.... where he can try to steel big bubba's tooth brush... and see what happens...then...
TSA needs to check there employees out, better
before during ? and after hiring ? they also need to polygraph all these TSA employees and ask them one question ? have you ever stolen anything ?
These are federal agents are they not ????
jt101 Oct 13th 2008 3:53PM
Thanks to CNN
jerome Oct 13th 2008 4:00PM
As a taxpayer, I hope TSA has already fired Mr. Brown.
He should be barred for life from any employment which involves public funds, and he should lose any eligibility for pension/social security benefits.
William L. Sasman Oct 13th 2008 4:43PM
Guess TSa don't screen the people they hire. I remember back when they had the big drive for people I had a few good friends that were up and up get turned down. I don't know what TSA's problem was.
palm spings ca resident Oct 13th 2008 3:59PM
There should be a website for thieves photos to be posted, how great that would be for neighbors and future employers!
I'm tired of my vehiclesbeing broken into I'm going to put a camera outside......
I would love a web site to go to and see local thieve photos any good ideas out there?????
Brian Oct 17th 2008 10:00PM
This will only make it more difficult to get on and off planes, because TOO MANY OF YOU have to take these giant bags onto the plane that take you 10 minutes to store and 20 minutes find again and unload again. CHECK YOUR BAGGAGE, people!
ngg1224 Oct 13th 2008 4:09PM
Some people put their laptops and cameras in their checked luggage to spare them the hassle of taking them out and showing them to these TSA people which of course is very annoying, and the TSA people are annoying already, they think they are God. Had some bad experiences with these people....