My question is why do people feel the need to steal?
Be it TSA or fellow passengers, why steal?

Do the people who steal have any empathy for the ones they steal from?

Is it something deeper than just wanting to take something that doesn't belong to them? Maybe so much hate, contempt, envy or jealousy that by stealing you are sending a message that your victim is at your very mercy.

Obviously the upper management condones this behavior, by not ensuring passengers ALWAYS have their belongings within sight. The false notion that one's belongings are dangerous and that you are not even allowed to touch your own belongings is absurd. If they are so dangerous, why even allow the TSA goons to paw through them. Call a bomb squad.

I believe that any search beyond the X-ray of carry on, the TSA goon must get the consent of the passenger, and the goon must declare exactly what they saw, and what they are specifically looking for. As it is now, the goons can say anything they want to paw through belongings, and it is a good opportunity to steal what they want.

Sad part, this is all protected by SSI and backed by the full force of the US Government. Don't comply, and you won't fly. Don't submit, they won't quit.