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TSA Officers Fired After Stealing From Passengers
Have you ever arrived at your destination to find items missing from your suitcase and thought, "I wonder how that happened?" It turns out, you may have been a victim of TSA theft.
ABC News, as seen in the clip above, conducted an investigation into the security of airport screening stations. New figures show that 381 TSA officers have been fired after stealing from passengers and their luggage. The investigation tracked checked bags with iPads and cash, and also went through security checkpoints with these items in carry-on luggage.
In nine of ten cases, the items made it to their destination safely. But in Orlando, an iPad left behind ended up in the hands of a security officer. Using a device-tracking app on the iPad, investigators traced the iPad to the home of the security officer last seen with the device. After denying that he stole the item, the officer was caught red-handed when the alert for the device was heard from inside his home.
Thankfully, the officer has been terminated. We're sure this will lead to further TSA investigations, but for now, we'd suggest putting valuable items in the safety of your well-guarded carry-on bag.
Filed under: Video, Airports, News, Travel Security
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 8)
fred Sep 28th 2012 2:21PM
Government canNOT run anything efficiently.... Why in God's Name would you want them running all aspects of your life especially your health care? Liberals that is directed at you.....
Suzie Sep 28th 2012 8:55PM
I guess I can ask u the same why would u want a mormon running for office I dont want a dictator telling me who I can sleep with and who I cant ! or better yet tell me what I can and cant do with my body so again
Arthur Sep 28th 2012 2:56PM
I took a TSA test and passed with a good mark. I was called for the physical and was told to run around ,holding a luggage bag, in a circle. I felt like an idiot. Meanwhile ,there were two employees in their offices ,behind a desk ,doing nothing . Typical appointed hacks. I failed the physical according to another hack ,with a tit job. Good character ? So what Let them keep on hiring thieves. Wasn't it a criminal who formed the TSA? No surprises here.
Gary Sep 28th 2012 2:55PM
JUST IMAGINE HOW MANY TIMES HE'S DONE THIS BEFORE. THIS IS WHEN HE GOT CAUGHT OF COURSE - THESE PEOPLE ARE THE DEVIL IN UNIFORM. MORE BAITING THE TSA IS IN STORE AND A GREAT NEWS STORY - WELL DONE ! IF IT MAKES YOU SICK, DON'T FLY. IT'S REALLY THE ONLY WEAPON THE PUBLIC HAS - OUR MONEY AND WHERE WE SPEND IT. STOP FLYING AND WATCH THINGS CHANGE. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fred Sep 28th 2012 5:47PM
They took a $500 Mount Blanc pen from me, which was a present from someone dear to me. This TSA officer kept fiddling with the bags under the x-ray machine for the longest time and was holding up the line for the longest time, talking with the TSA person at the screen. I bet it was all a scam! Once through the people screener I took everything out of the containers and ran to my flight. Only when I was on the plane did I realize what happened, no Mount Blanc. I called the TSA at Dulles when I arrived in Seattle and asked for "lost and found". I was able to leave a recording telling them what I had lost. Someone called me back saying that they find so many pens that they just through the ones the are "left behind" in the trash. Yeah right. I can assure you that TSA agent knew exactly what the Mount Blanc was worth. I am so angry with the TSA.
Rhoda Lerman Sep 28th 2012 6:30PM
Boston, last summer, I watched a uniformed black woman going through the bins we put our valuables in and pocketing something. USAir.
mike Sep 28th 2012 3:16PM
good, one more scumbag thief caught
J Whitmore Sep 29th 2012 2:20PM
Several years ago my daughter purchased a Mont Blanc pen as a special christmas present for me. When going through security I was pulled aside for special check. When I returned my pen was missing from the dish pan we where instructed to put things into. Of course the folks said they did not see it.
Ernie Sep 28th 2012 5:50PM
My wife and I fly out of Melbourne airport FL and in the past few years we have at least 5 of those TSA locks on our bags, and every time I had put new one on it was stolen by TSA. The reason I know it was one of them is because there was no note left in my bag to say they had opened to inspect it and that the eye that the locks goes through were not broken, I contacted TSA and reported it to them, at first I would get an e-mail reply asking me to fill out a form with all the details. The last time I had a lock taken from them was about six weeks ago, I sent them another e-mail, got a reply saying that some one would contact me, but that still hasn't happened. If you can't trust them who can you trust??????
Mike Sep 28th 2012 4:27PM
I'm not really for small government, but if one government agency that needs to be eliminated, it's the TSA. It was a mistake and continues to be an embarrassment to America.
And while agents will confiscate lotions and loot your luggage, actual weapons and other explosives have been brought aboard planes!
It's a useless and dangerous use of our taxes.
dabooch Sep 28th 2012 10:46PM
Not for a small government? On assistance? Taking from me from what I make? I don't want to support anyone but my family. If that makes me a bad person, suck it.
Jodie Sep 28th 2012 4:30PM
Whats sad but true is the fact that this happens more often than those flying or handling flight would care to admit. This also is not something that just started its been going on for a very long time its just begun to be talked about more. The person in this story was just unfortunate in that he was videod doing his dirty deed and its good that he was and if TSA would prosecute these criminals they might put a much needed and long overdue stop to these thefts. Many years ago 20 to be exact my sister flew from orange county california to michigan with tsa when she arrived in michigan and went to retrieve her suitcase she noticed a long piece of duct tape on it she removed the duct tape and discovered to her horror that someone had slashed a larg hole in her suitcase causing her to have to buy another suitcase and to add to the horror they had stolen her camera, an expensive pair of new shoes still in the box as well as several small wrapped gifts gifts she had purchased for family members. When she reported it to TSA officals they went to get a supervisor but never returned she called and complained but all TSA did was say im sorry and if you make a list of the items and submit it to us we will try to locate the items. Months went by with no contact and when she recontacted them in the end all they did was refund the cost of her ticket with no mention of the items stolen from her. She had to threaten to take them to court before they finally paid her the cost of the items stolen. If at all possible when flying ship suitcases to you destination through the post office which is also cheaper that checking the bags with the airline and paying their steep fees I know because this is what i did when i went home to visit and if you can do with just a carry on do that its far better to do that thnn to suffer a loss due to thievery.
KATHRYN Sep 28th 2012 7:04PM
I fly in and out of Ft Myers Fl airport and find the bald TSA guy is the meanest, rudest, loud, show off person I have ever met in a public place. He insults, embarresses the passengers and a crude person. When I complain I am told he is the best. They are probably right as the others are thiefs and insulting, uneducated morans. The days of enjoying a flight are gone, just memories.
brd28784 Sep 28th 2012 4:46PM
Another minority..imagine that
Mary Sep 28th 2012 4:40PM
All of my valuables go into a personal carry-on bag that also contains my purse, cameras, jewelry, etc. I wear a windbreaker with zippered pockets. Stuff also goes into those pockets.
Guys are allowed to take a personal item on for carry-on like a gym bag that can hold an tablet computer, camera, etc. No excuses for packing valuables in checked baggage and having them stolen.
I put nothing of value into my checked bag. All that goes into my checked bag is clothes, shoes, and toiletries.
If the hotel room doesn't have a safe, and I have valuables that I don't want stolen if I go down to the beach, I wrap them up in my dirty underwear or put them in some dirty socks.
When I go on vacation - I trust no one when it comes to putting my valuables in places where I can either monitor them, or make people not go looking for them.
Candice Harris Sep 28th 2012 4:44PM
Yes, I got home and unlocked my suitcase, to find my camera and jewelry case missing. It had to be a TSA employee, because my luggage was locked with TSA locks. And when I went back to the airport to complain I was told, 'Our Officers don't steal.' REALLY?? There word against mine. It was very sad because the diamond earrings my parents gave me were in the case. I absolutely detest TSA.
Faith Sep 28th 2012 4:51PM
#1 I feel sorry for all the good and honest people who are trying to do a good job protecting us.
#2 Why is this guy still walking around free? He should not only be fired.. he should be sitting in a jail cell. What the ????
BTW.. my neighbor's kid... coming home on leave from the service realized she had items stolen from her service duffle bag when she picked it up at Boston Logan Airport. They told her the same thing. Tough Luck kid. No recourse? No accountability? REALLY? This is insane.
victor gibson Oct 6th 2012 3:30PM
You know what Im wondering? Is where are all the people who ridiculed us who said all this 9/11 was for was to take your rights and make money for dick cheney and his consortium, georgey boy got his pay off you can be sure.
I wonder where all those dolts are who cheered and waved flags as the Awol national guard george didnt do his national guard service bushy boy played co pilot and landed on aircraft carrier which was stupid in the first place its like we won nah nah nah nah. We didnt win. You need to understand these people are no smarter nor better than anyone else. They are too also controlled and they do not know this. Some do. And if some of those read what Im saying here they would wonder who I am but alas they already know. LOLOL An intelligent middle school kid could find the flaws in their excuses and stories.
Americans just cuddle up wid their OHS and TSA Dolts rummaging their bags over a hand full of terrorists. Yah survive the inner cities you going to tell me your askeered of some foriegnors coming over here and getting you? Damn people, I sure as heck do not worry I am willing to share the world and smile at another person whether I know them or not.I dont live in fear I dont use my mind or heart for that type of seeing.
EVERYONE Sep 28th 2012 5:12PM
Well if they'd let us lock our luggage again, or stop hiring zoo animals, THIS WOULDN'T HAPPEN.
Justandyandme Sep 28th 2012 5:13PM
Those who would do away with the TSA program would seem to value possessions over human life. I don't , and they miss the point.
Sure,...I would want a thief that was caught red-handed to be prosecuted, but let's not let 2nd amendment gun-wielders who think they have all the answers onto the plane just yet....one of them may be a terrorist.