Dang it you made me do math on a Friday.

20 guns from 14 million passengers is 1 gun per 700,000 passengers a week. (0.00014285714285714287%)

The TSA employs about 45,000 TSOs. The average number of TSOs fired each year for theft is approximately 28 or 1 per 1607 TSOs. (0.06222222222222223%)

As you can see the percentage of thieves that wear the TSO uniform is huge compared to the percentage of stupid, forgetful or nefarious passengers that bring a gun.

Argh! Math. My bane... :D

When you put it that way, the stats are actually kind of depressing.

Without reading any of the rest of the thread:

Where'd you get that number?

In December 2008, TSA Spokesperson Ellen Howe 'fessed up to 465 TSO fired for theft:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/bu...3&ref=business

465/5.75 years in operation ("spring of 2003" through December 2008) is roughly 80 per year...so let's call 28 per year a "conservative estimate." :mad:

Yeah, depressing.

http://www.hrblunders.com/200-baggag...-for-stealing/

I had forgotten about Francine's admission.

Hm. Okay. Just curious.

Like I said, I haven't read any more of the thread except for the first page, and, like, the last two or three posts.

I just did a search using the criteria of "screener theft firing" to find the page.

If I am getting far afield OT here I apologize, and I certainly don't want to get into a cranky argument about numbers, but something is waaaay off here.

I searched the PV for anything about theivery, and I never did see anyone official at TSA 'fessing up to nothin' ...where did Francine say it was 200?

All I found was this exchange involving a TSA Blog Team member and a better-informed Anonymous poster, which did not engender much confidence:

At the end of 2008, the official TSA spokesone, Ellen Howe, is quoted in the Newspaper of Record putting the figure at 465.

If TSA ever decides to attack the public relations problems it suffers from perceptions of thievery, Step One would be an honest accounting of how many pax complained and pointed the finger at TSA, how many of those complaints TSA dismissed and on what grounds, and how many of those wound up in dismissal, criminal action or both for a TSO.

I can't find that level of information anywhere.

I was referring to the 465 number not the 200. AND I mistakenly attributed it to Francine.

I am not always perfect but I try. (ok that is a lie)

You are always aces in my book, TK.

What I find worrisome is 465 TSOs fired for theft over 5-6 years, of course, but also only 465 TSOs fired for theft at an agency that seems to have logged in something like 50,000 to 60,000 theft complaints over that same time period.

I know American Transport Association complained to TSA in 2004 that reports of thefts from baggage were all-of-a-sudden way up over previous years after TSA took over airport security, and wanted an explanation and some action, but so far I haven't seen anything other than airlines saying TSOids are swiping the stuff and TSA saying it's those thieves in airline baggage.

Somewhere, in the gap between 50,000 complaints and 465 fired TSOs I suspect some light-fingered TSOids are getting away with it.

I have no evidence of nothing on this, just speculation, but to me, the numbers are worrisome.

But also, by TK's numbers, if TSA can make a big deal out of that few guns being found at a checkpoint, surely it can list how many TSO's have been canned for theft as it happens much more often than a gun coming thru a checkpoint.

Please excuse me while I correct a few of your more blatant errors.

1. That statement was not made in this forum.
2. IT IS illegal to take $10,000 or more in cash or other monetary instruments outside of the united states, unless it has been properly declared. Kindly review the thread where that statement was originally made, you will see the facts.
3. I have provided facts and information to many people here. That they chose to not accept them as such is not my problem. I have also provided a few opinions, and have clearly stated they are such.

I have not called anyone a name other than that which they provide here. I also do not insult people, I insult their ideas, belief’s, and behaviors. As for the individuals themselves, I don’t know them so I am unwilling to insult them. Given time that may change.

As if you know. Hmmm? That does cause me some concern about your honesty.

TSORon, I am sure you are not the kind of person to split hairs. The good PhoenixRev was probably referring to this quote on this thread of something that you did write on the EOS Blog when he made reference to your initial insistence that carrying more than $10,000 out of the country was, in fact, illegal.

Sure, the innacurate information was something you originally wrote on the EOS Blog, it just got re-quoted here. But it would be splitting hairs for you to object that the statement was not made on this forum (since it did appear here, as well as there, after all, as you can see).

It would be something worse than splitting hairs for you to imply that you personally and unambiguously cleared up your original mistake, either here or on the EOS Blog. Dozens of others on the EOS Blog, even KellyMae, did correct your mistake for you, but did you ever man up and say, "I was wrong, it's legal if you properly declare it"? No, you did not.

And it would almost be dishonest for you to now write:

Ron, I have been searching and searching and searching that original PV post where you made the error under your own name, TSORon, and I do not find any evidence that you, TSORon, ever said, "I was wrong, here's what's correct."

If people choose not to accept the "facts and information you provide" it is because when you are mistaken, you do not go back and correct the record, you leave your hideous mistake out there to confuse the next person who comes along.

I find the posturing between spotnik and TSORon just fascinating, inasmuch as it seems to be an amusing exercise in who is most noble in the quest for the Right Way to do the Wrong Thing.

Kind of hilarious, actually, for someone who can still find an external viewpoint, both of THEM being totally enwrapped in the dark flag of the TSA.

And, oh, yes, ALWAYS unpredictable!!!! Ironic, ain't it?

I appreciate the clarification, triehle. I jumped into this thread midstream and saw the quotation and regrettably made the conclusion it was part of the original thread line.

I apologize for the error.