As annoying as Christopher Elliott's column can be sometimes, it is nice to see this issue getting some "mainstream" press/exposure:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24187702/

"But here�s what you might not know. The stealing isn�t as random as the TSA may want you to believe. Fleiss visited an optometrist for a replacement pair of glasses, and learned that since the TSA was created seven years ago, he�d seen a �marked increase� in patients requesting receipts for insurance claims relating to security-related thefts. �He said there is a huge market for stolen designer eyewear frames in the New York area,� he added. �You put it together.�

One aviation insider I spoke with believes stealing is a systemic problem the federal agency is unable to control, particularly at problem airports like New York�s LaGuardia Airport and Philadelphia International Airport. Not all of the screening areas in U.S. airports are under surveillance, and the TSA�s rules have a big loophole that shifts liability for stolen baggage claims to the airline when luggage is delayed, he told me. In other words, there�s little incentive for the stealing to stop. �It�s the 800-pound gorilla no one wants to discuss at TSA,� he says."

One more reason that this disgusting, un-American agency should be destroyed and its incompetent "leaders" should be severely punished.

I came in here to post the same article. Instead, I'll just post here the quote from the article I was going to use as a headline:

Now, that might not be a 100% fair statement to say, but in the public eye, it's the TSA that insists bags be unlocked for "inspection."

I would imagine that the bozos who do "TSA Mythbusters" are feverishly working today.

As well as the TSAers around here who constantly retort to our CORRECT allegations of the actions of their thieving thief TSO co-workers with the same tired cliche response of "So do you have any proof it wasn't the baggage handlers??"

I am not going to contradict your allegations of thieves among the TSA, nor am I going to suggest it was the baggage handlers.
It could be either one.
I will agree that we (the TSA) apparently leave your bags vulnerable to theft. I don't work in baggage, so I don't know the process. I had been under the impression that we secure the bags when we are done with them. On here I have learned otherwise.

That last statement is why I said the statement I quoted isn't 100% correct. And in the real world, it IS correct to say that TSAers is not the sole source of checked baggage theft. And if I were a TSAer here, I would point that out as well.

However, the onus IS on the TSA here. They are the ones that require the bags be left unlocked, because of THEIR procedures. Ma and Pa Kettle can't think deep enough to realize that baggage handlers are a real source of thievery. In large part, that's because, again, the TSA puts the onus on itself with its requirements and its "we're saving the world" approach and PR tactics.

Look, as I've stated on numerous threads during my ongoing tirade against the thieving thieves of the TSA, OF COURSE I realize that baggage handlers are a possible source of theft from checked baggage. However, I stand by my assertion that it is far more likely that a baggage handler theft will be a "smash-n-grab", while a TSO theft is more likely the "cherry picking" of valuable items and the careful re-packing of the other contents, performed during the usual inspections that their (ridiculous and doing nothing to make America safer) jobs require.

My checked baggage has been cherry-picked. TSA, you're a bunch of thieving thieves. Clearly others agree.

Yep, your thieving thief co-workers secure the bags when they are done...STEALING from them.

The TSA makes you safe, now shut up and colour...

drat makes a good point about smash and grab, versus cherrypicking.

Ciao,
FH

What's the difference between "smash and grab" and "cherry picking?" Both are thefts.

Look, you're on a mission to point out your misfortunes, and that's perfectly fine. But don't mistake my point in trying to interject a little reason to the article with your agenda.

But on another thread, one of our TSA'ers posted:

"If your bag was searched because it alarmed the CTX, the TSA should have a record of exactly which screener conducted the search, if you keep the airline bag tag with the barcode on it.
At the very least, that person probably will be questioned, and if a pattern of complaints emerges, they may well be reprimanded or fired over it."

(http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...=812104&page=8)

According to this screener, if we all reported our baggage problems, TSA could do a better job of detecting problem employees and resolving problems.

Once again, it's probably not TSA's fault, it's most likely the fault of the pax or the baggage handlers.

Chollie, I HOPE you are being sarcastic.

All empirical evidence seems to point to an almost blanket denial of ANY responsiblity taken by the TSA as to thefts from checked baggage, with the stock position taken in response to theft reports as "it could have been baggage handlers, therefore you can't prove it was us, haveaniceday."

Yup.

And seriously, I don't think TSA always denies all responsibility. As the TSA screener's post illustrates, sometimes we're partially/wholly complicit (we don't pack right, don't pay attention to constantly changing/undocumented rules, don't report baggage violations, etc).

"Our bad".

The X-Ray Op at the BWI C C/P yesterday called for a supervisor to review the image on her screen while my rollaboard was going through. His words to her - "guess he doesn't know about SimpliFly, those are rolled clothing items." I decided to ignore them and go about my day.

I do. Thus, we respectfully disagree.

Again, not sure of your seriousness or sarcasm re the above points, so I'll address as if serious.

I don't consider "not packing right" or "not paying attention to constantly changing/undocumented rules" to be partially/wholly complicit with the issue/problem of theft from checked baggage. If I choose to pack my baggage however I darned well please, while it may be true that that results in a "harder" search of my bag, it in no way justifies the THEFT of any of the items contained therein.

As to the changing/undocumented rules, well like most here I'm a weekly business traveler and I do try to keep track of the latest nonsense, and if *I* (or any of us here) can't keep track and it results in "harder" bag searches, it still in no way justifies the THEFT of any of the items contained therein (and don't even get me started on how that would impact Ma and Pa Kettle who DON'T keep track, although once again, there is still no justification for THEFT even in those cases).

As to your third point about not reporting baggage violations, I believe I've addressed that in my other post above as to TSA's blanket denials of responsibility.