Where to report TSA related theft?

Old Apr 4, 2011, 11:48 am
  #1  
Suspended
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Programs: I miss NW, TW
Posts: 4,828
Where to report TSA related theft?

The TSA in Seattle opened my checked luggage and stole something. This is not the first time it happened. The stuff they stole is not extremely expensive and can be replaced but it is annoying.

What should one do? Report it to the airline baggage office? Report it to the airline as a consumer complaint? Report it to TSA? If so, will TSA retaliate? Booby trap future luggage (like making Ex-Lax brownies so thieves get diarrhea?)
Penbank is offline  
Old Apr 4, 2011, 11:52 am
  #2  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Northeast Kansas | Colorado Native
Programs: Amex Gold/Plat, UA *G, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Gold, NEXUS, TSA Disparager Unobtanium
Posts: 21,594
TWA A380. That would have been a nice aircraft to see


I would file a complaint with TSA, and also file a police report for the stolen items. Ask TSA to pull all video from the baggage area, and look for the thief..
FriendlySkies is offline  
Old Apr 4, 2011, 6:48 pm
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Programs: United
Posts: 2,710
No one will care. The airlines will blame the TSA and the TSA will blame the airlines.
Combat Medic is offline  
Old Apr 4, 2011, 7:06 pm
  #4  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DFW
Posts: 28,080
The TSA would be the last to tell.

Do what you would do any other time you are a victim of a crime, call the police.
Boggie Dog is online now  
Old Apr 4, 2011, 7:51 pm
  #5  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: SEA, SoCal
Programs: AS 75K, DL Plat, AA, WN, Hertz, HHonors, Marriott
Posts: 1,306
Originally Posted by TWA A380
The TSA in Seattle opened my checked luggage and stole something. This is not the first time it happened. The stuff they stole is not extremely expensive and can be replaced but it is annoying.

What should one do? Report it to the airline baggage office? Report it to the airline as a consumer complaint? Report it to TSA? If so, will TSA retaliate? Booby trap future luggage (like making Ex-Lax brownies so thieves get diarrhea?)
How do you know it was the TSA? It could just as easily have been the baggage handlers.

I had some stuff stolen from my checked luggage on a SEA-DFW flight a few months ago. I filed a report with the Port of Seattle Police, but nothing came of it.

Depending on what was stolen, the airline might compensate you. Call them and file a claim with baggage services. In my case the item taken (a GPS) was excluded, but they gave me a $75 travel voucher as a "courtesy".
hgdf is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2011, 8:02 am
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Programs: United
Posts: 2,710
Originally Posted by hgdf
How do you know it was the TSA? It could just as easily have been the baggage handlers.

I had some stuff stolen from my checked luggage on a SEA-DFW flight a few months ago. I filed a report with the Port of Seattle Police, but nothing came of it.

Depending on what was stolen, the airline might compensate you. Call them and file a claim with baggage services. In my case the item taken (a GPS) was excluded, but they gave me a $75 travel voucher as a "courtesy".
The tsa was the ones that decided that we aren't allowed to use real locks. Therefor every theft is their fault.
Combat Medic is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2011, 12:21 pm
  #7  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Programs: AA - EXP 2.3 MM, HH Diamond, MR Gold, recovering UA Premier
Posts: 280
Every airport has many TSA reporting stations. There is a whole set of complaint receptacles in the "complaint filing room." There are typically several complaint filing rooms per concourse, both pre- and post-security, labeled with "Men" or "Women" on the door. It doesn't matter whether you file your complaint at SEA, your home airport, or an airport overseas where the TSA doesn't operate. You may even have a TSA-approved complaint filing receptacle in your house. Using any of these is equally effective, which is to say, not at all...
flyermatthew is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2011, 12:32 pm
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 4,781
Originally Posted by TWA A380
Where to report TSA related theft?
I believe the official TSA position is "To the hand"...

*DISCLAIMER* Poster has had his 9 year old daughter's "Christmas gift from her aunt" Complete Illustrated Compendium of CS Lewis' Narnia books stolen from her bag in PHL several years ago. I hope it at least went to some smurf's urchin who went on to develop a love of knowledge and now disavows the method their *ahem* "parent" used to get them goodies... I doubt it.
JoeBas is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2011, 3:31 pm
  #9  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,401
Originally Posted by Combat Medic
No one will care. The airlines will blame the TSA and the TSA will blame the airlines.
I still wonder what would happen if you sued both of them at the same time. Let them point fingers back and forth.
Loren Pechtel is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2011, 3:50 pm
  #10  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 240
Originally Posted by Combat Medic
No one will care. The airlines will blame the TSA and the TSA will blame the airlines.
Yeah, I don't think the TSA cares. I think the new rule is to never travel with anything of value. I remember a poster saying that he now travels with a cheaper 350$ netbook instead of a nice Mac. You know how people travel to certain countries with a fake wedding ring, costume jewelry, and a cheaper, less flashy watch? Well, unfortunately, this now applies to the TSA!!!
average_passenger is offline  
Old Jan 14, 2013, 12:47 am
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 1
Theft

How long before you address the widespread and rampant theft by the TSA?
My family member was missing a cell phone returning from Mexico last May. They returned to Mexico this week and they are missing a Leather-man multi-tool and a candy-bar. They are a bunch of power hungry terrorists as far as I am concerned.
leslymill is offline  
Old Jan 14, 2013, 8:09 am
  #12  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: DCA / WAS
Programs: DL 2+ million/PM, YX, Marriott Plt, *wood gold, HHonors, CO Plt, UA, AA EXP, WN, AGR
Posts: 9,388
Given their track record, you're as well off reporting it to /dev/null
Global_Hi_Flyer is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.