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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 5 of 11)
Vivi Oct 13th 2008 4:18PM
I say the best thing to do is leave your exppensive equipment at home. You go, if you must, but leave your worthwhile belongings at home. Buy or rent cheap stuff when you get where you're going.
Bugman Oct 13th 2008 4:14PM
This is just a small version of the theft perpetrated by George Bush's administration. Some TSA guy takes $200,000+ of personal goods.
What about the billions that Bush and Cheney have transfered from the public purse - you and me as taxpayer - into their pockets and the pockets of their 'base'? Go Halliburton, hey!
Mr. T Oct 13th 2008 4:18PM
What is so surprising about this! Mr. Brown was just one of many fine applicants hired by the TSA for EEOC requirements. You know, the ones who cannot make it in the private sector, so have to be employed by a Governmental agency. His Ebay gig was his attempt for reparations. Did CNN really need the $47,000 studio camera? I'm sure the Ebay thing supplemented his income nicely.. As far as Ebay, I use Ebay fairly often. The concept is great. The problem is the garbage that is allowed to use the site. Ebay needs to crack down on the bums able to use the service..
eatahabanero Oct 13th 2008 9:48PM
how do you regulate ebay?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJDK6ctRjqw
john Oct 13th 2008 4:34PM
I cannot believe that these person posting comments like you should protect your property. This is another example of 'blame the victim' Clearly this person abused the public trust and cared only about himself and what he could get 'away with' this is clearly a social teaching from the environment that is was brought up in. and his own believe that he can get away with it. And the lack of belief that crime is only when you get caught.....He sure was happy in the picture of himself.
vinnivegas Oct 13th 2008 4:21PM
i had a carton of cigarettes in my suitcase and when i got home, there were only 5 packs in the carton. since then, i quit smoking.
!
Bryan Oct 13th 2008 4:23PM
I retired from 24 years of military service and applied to TSA for a job. I was turned down because I had bad credit. Hmmm.. held a top secret clearence for years but cant get a part time job because of my credit. I can understand that. But Supposably this guy passed there hiring screening.. Makes you wonder???
Eagle Dancer Oct 13th 2008 4:24PM
As a retired TSA officer and having worked at many different airports in this great nation of ours I have seen the good and the bad that TSA has to offer. The biggest problem has been thefts and officers thinking they have the power of GOD and get away with playing grab ass while on duty and the management at the locally levels do not take this seriously. Management starts with the shift supervisors, Security Managers, ASFD's and the FSD or Federal Security Director. Commonly known as "The Good Old Boys" club.
Advice, if you have valuables carry them with you. If you are TOLD to remove them "Refuse" and ask for secondary screening or a private screening. If you get any static as for a supervisor. MOST airports will comply and that is in the TSA SOP. DO NOT take your eyes off your valuables if they must be screened. Some passengers supplement their own income from stealing other passengers property. DO NOT get hostile for this will only create more of a problem for you. Follow the rules and you will have it made.
That guy will never see another job for a long while with that on his rap sheet ... Hooahh !!!
breznick Oct 13th 2008 5:15PM
"As a retired TSA officer and..."
- officer? when did tsa become officers? Do they have arrest powers a civilian doesn't have? I thought they were bag screeners . Or is "officer" some title created to confuse the bag screeners into thinking they are something they aren't?
Eagle Dancer Oct 13th 2008 4:27PM
Might I also add that Kip Hawley (head of TSA) needs to start taking the hiring issue more seriously instead of leaving it to the local level and to start cracking down on the local FSD's. ..... Sempre Fi !!!
fedup Oct 13th 2008 4:31PM
Are you kidding me! Why does it come as such a surprise to learn that "these" people are doing such things? The standards for hiring TSA empoyees (not agents) are so minimal. Half of these employees look like they've been pulled out of rikers island and placed in a sensitve position. The pay is a joke.So you add these elements and what it gives you is a recipe for disaster. I had one TSA employee at JFK tell me one time that I "couldnt take my $200.00 cologne on board and that I had to surrender it to him". I took my cologne and poured it into the garbage . That was enough to annoy him and he decided to pull me from the line and search my bags. Luckily I left my bombs and 20 kilos of coke at home that day! Nonetheless he did not get my cologne (lol).
gary h. Oct 13th 2008 4:50PM
Personally, I don't put much faith in the TSA. When the Federal Government decides to provide real security, with people who have training that equals the FBI, then we will have a working security program at our airports. Until that time the traveling public will have to put-up with the thefts, and the shoddy behavior of TSA agents.
scott Oct 13th 2008 7:34PM
If you get people with training equalling the FBI, then security will really become harsh not to mention TSA would really have to fork out the bucks for these highly trained college grads. You only get 12 bucks an hour with no raise unless you get promoted then you pretty much take what you can get.
Gary H Oct 13th 2008 8:14PM
Unfortunately you get what is paid for, and $12.00 HR., gets us stolen camera's and a bunch of loose canon's. A cheaper route for window dressing security would be to place some life sized posters of TSA officials at the check points, and forget about security altogether. Either we have a problem or we don't, and if we don't, then why worry about airline security.
tom Oct 13th 2008 4:52PM
I travel the world by plane,... unfortunately this article is true. The TSA seems to have the very bottom of the barrel employeed. At all airports it is not shifty characters lerking about that are criminals, terrorist's, and thieves ,...it's the security personal that is out to get everyone. During my most recent trip from Panama to China the God Bless America TSA agents at the LA airport helped themselves to a very cherished ring of mine forcing open a locked jewerly box breaking the hinges. How cleaver ! When I discovered this and questioned them they went far out of their way to try to impress me with a load of BS causing me to miss my flight.
They are very clever theives with a government license to steal .
Jeff Oct 13th 2008 7:12PM
just another welfare to work program...
what do you expect???
Greg Johnson Oct 13th 2008 4:37PM
The whole TSA thing is a scam. All the money wasted taking off a pair of flip-flops with bare feet, walking on those filthy floors, not having a moneyclip the size of a quarter going through, the inconsistent application of "rules". Belts on here, taken off there, the rude ordering around from the screeners, and on and on. If this country ever gets back to flying again, the TSA operation will slam it back to the stone age. I now hate to fly, and have cut back to less than 50% of what I did.
ssgchester Oct 13th 2008 4:38PM
This is nothing new.
About three years ago it was released that there were over 12,000 law suits against TSA for theft of personal property out of passengers luggage that had settled. But there were then over 20,000 plus such cases.
If TSA people are stealing, what's to stop one from putting a bomb in the luggage?
Nothing.
This system has to be rethought.
But, I'll venture most of you had never heard of these law suits.
And by the way, they were not frivolous.
paula Oct 13th 2008 4:39PM
There should be cameras hidden everywhere these animals are in contact with luggage. I fly first class and I NEVER allow the agents to put Priority stickers on my luggage. It doesn't matter anyway. Also, I don't use my expensive luggage. Just run of the mill with my dirty underwear on top!
Bryan Oct 13th 2008 4:41PM
When I retired from the military with 24 years of honorable service. I applied for a job with TSA.. I was turned down and was told it was because of my credit score (bad credit and bankruptcy). I held clearences for years and was trusted with billions of dollars in government assets.. But I cant get a job with TSA at the airport. This person was hired and given that trust and he abused it. Wonder if they would hire me know?