I'd Rather Walk

"the mother of the Brooklyn student, Chris Dunn, called the alleged theft of his cash -- a gift from his grandma -- "disgusting and a violation of my son's trust."

"Just hours later, another TSA screener at JFK was caught on surveillance video swiping a senior citizen's cellphone. The worker, Roy Richburg, 25, of Queens, was arrested and fired."



http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/q...tjYwrMzs3H7lNN

mikemey

Wow...fired without retraining. I'm shocked, and glad I was sitting down to read this one.

sylvia hennesy

So, this TSA was filmed spending 6 minutes on a teen's gym bag, the kid is out his money, but she's not arrested or fired?
I feel so much safer.

cordelli

Do they just forget they are being taped? The port authority police must hate the amount of time they have to spend looking at TSA tapes

Really, you spend six minutes going through a bag, somebody is gonna think you were stealing something.

Waiting for bob to put the spin on the edited youtube video release later today.

The money seems to still be up in the air, the phone, that was a slam dunk.

FliesWay2Much

Spokesholess Lisa beat him to the punch. I feel much better now.

Boggie Dog

Cases such as this is why demanding to remain in view of your carry on items is a must. If a TSA employee does not accommodate such a request then I think it is reasonable to suspect a TSA thief at work.

I'm sure there are far more honest TSA screeners than dishonest but they all wear they same uniform so all screeners must be suspected of being dishonest.

coachrowsey

Just as they suspect all of us as being terrorists.

KCWatORD

I don't understand. Are you not allowed to lock your bag before you send it through the xray machine?? I am aware that locks are routinely opened/broken off/etc. on checked bags, but is there any rule against locking your carry on bag?

chollie

They don't all like it. I started doing it because I always get the grope and there are TSOs who will actively obstruct your view of your bags. I have also had a TSO yank my bag off the belt, turn his back to me and start to dig around in my bag when he hadn't even identfied the bag's owner yet.

Had to opt-out at LAX recently, and apparently that day/shift/crew did full unpack/swab/test of all bags. The fellow doing my bag was very aggressive - both palms up, loud voice, "stand back, stand back, stand back!" (I was standing where he told me to stand. He brought my belongings over to a table, put them down, I still hadn't moved, then he's telling me to stand back).

Then he realized the bag was locked.

I said "do you want me to unlock it?" Well, he didn't, but I had to 'stand back'. Conversation in radio. Another TSO. More admonitions to "stand back". They have a whispered conversation.

OK, I could unlock my bag but not touch anything else. And "stand back".

Swabbed everything. Including the lock. Twice.

I've also used ziplocs. They generally have to be cut off. Of course, there's rarely a shortage of surrendered sharp blades at the checkpoint, so that shouldn't be a problem if I do get a search.

halls120

At this companion article http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/q...MGg4vNPhjGZQrJ

the title says it all: "TSA stands for 'Thieves Steal at Airports'"

N830MH

Wow! Unbelievable!!! He got termination from the job. TSA will get disciplinary action against him.

No one who caught the personal items and no one touching with her cell phone.

mikeef

Not sure why the TSO spent six minutes in the bag, but I didn't see anything indicating that they actually had proof that the TSO stole the money. If it's in the article and I just missed it, it would be much appreciated if someone could point me to it.

Thanks,
Mike

LuvAirFrance

Its a situation ripe for this kind of thing. No one gets the contents of their carryon certified before TSA gets their hands on it. Unless someone actually sees the theft, it seems like it is hard to prove. Almost makes me want to pack as if I know whatever I put in will be stolen.

But then my rational mind says "why travel in that expectation?" Anyone should be able to see how this chills the desire to fly.

chollie

No hard proof.

I wonder if the bag was between the TSO and the pax at all times, and I wonder how close the pax was to the bag.

IIRC, the LTSO that got caught (but not fired) in KOA would take a bag and turn her back to the pax while 'searching' the bag.

chollie

(bolding mine) True for cash. However, getting caught with the goods (like a listing on eBay or an Ipad down the front of your pants) is pretty good proof.