How safe is your Luggage - not that safe

[Van Helsing]

Four security screeners at the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport were charged with stealing jewelry, computers and other valuable items from passengers' checked luggage, according to the FBI.

An informant's hidden audio recorder caught Transportation Security Administration screeners Tito Santos-Flores, Harford Howell, Aldo Santa-Cruz and Carlos Cruz talking about what they'd taken, according to a criminal complaint.

The complaint alleged the men have taken MP3 players, jewelry, cash, DVD players and other goods since January. Among the victims was actress Shirley MacLaine, who reported losing jewelry and crystals, investigators said.

The men have worked as baggage screeners at the airport since 2002, said TSA spokeswoman Lauren Stover.

The arrests came Tuesday after a monthlong joint investigation between the FBI and TSA's internal affairs department.

The men were held overnight at the Miami-Dade Detention Center, scheduled to be arraigned in federal court Wednesday.

TSA was created after Sept. 11, 2001, to help improve security at transportation hubs, such as airports.



Good work by the FBI and TSA - BUT HOW LONG HAD IT BEEN GOING ON FOR???

 

[mickey4ver]

Obviously for quite some time! Seems to me I read on these Dis boards awhile back someone posting about having a video recorder stolen and that they could get NO one to do anything about it, so I think, if I remember correctly, they went to the local news media about the whole thing.

Stinks that something that is supposed to be for "our own good/safety" has to have unsavories that want to rip people off, especially when we have no say over our belongings being manhandled.

I'm all for security, but we should feel that things won't end up "missing in action" after a security checker helps themselves to our property.

Guess we need security for security.

 

[pat fan]

Why does anyone pack jewelry,computers or cash in a checked bag instead of carry-on? You're just asking to have it taken IMO.

 

[mickey4ver]

While I would take into consideration just what I pack in my checked luggage, you are rather encouraged to pack as much as possible because if you follow the "rules", carry-ons are limited. I get so annoyed with people carrying on WAY too much and getting by with it. I saw a lady in front of me throw a fit when the ticket checker questioned how many bags she was carrying on, she got irate and claimed "she didn't know" how many was too many...give me a break Yes, I carry anything of value with me (in my allowed, one carry on), but that still does not mean that security should be helping themselves to things that obviously belong to others when in checked luggage. No excuse for that IMHO.

 

[my3kids]

At my home airport, baggage screening is at the same time as check in. You open your bags and they are searched as you watch. They are tagged as screened and you are allowed to then lock your suitcase. You proceed directly then to the place you place the bag to be checked. I HATE leaving my bag unlocked for mystery screenings if I fly from another airport.

 

[Mike Jones]

...we never place anything we can afford to lose in the cases. I also think it a bit daft placing video/camera/computer gear/jewllery in there... still, the airports shouldn't employ thieves, should they?

Mike

 

[mickey4ver]

Originally posted by Mike Jones
...we never place anything we can afford to lose in the cases. I also think it a bit daft placing video/camera/computer gear/jewllery in there... still, the airports shouldn't employ thieves, should they?

Mike

My point exactly

 

[pat fan]

still, the airports shouldn't employ thieves, should they?
**********************************************

I should hope not! Of course, it's not a perfect world, but you do wonder how much they screen the people they hire. I hope no one thought I was advocating theft in my previous post...I just would never pack anything of value in checked baggage because it can be lost (really lost!) or stolen.

 

[arminnie]

Originally posted by Van Helsing

Good work by the FBI and TSA - BUT HOW LONG HAD IT BEEN GOING ON FOR???

Unfortunately theft from checked luggage has been going on for as long as luggage has been checked.

I used to travel extensively on business and I learned many, many years ago not to lock my suitcases, as that only meant that someone would destroy the suitcase to get inside. The airlines would pay for "repair" but the suitcase would never be the same after the locks were jimmied.

 

[Van Helsing]

Really i didn't know security screeners had been working that long

 

[Disney Doll]

I'm not sure why the to arminnie's response, jj, but long before 9/11 and the TSA, checked luggage pieces were randonly examined for explosives etc, although not as extensively as they are now.

Often, luggage would come out on the carousel having been destroyed, or at least the lock destroyed, by an airline employee breaking into it. Happened to me on a couple of occasions, although I live by the adage not to pack anything in my checked luggage that i can't afford to lose. Like it or not, fair or not, human nature being what it is, I trust very few people. I would not put something like a computer, DVD, jewlery into any piece of luggage that I was not going to be in control of for the entire trip. But that's just me.

In any event, it's unfortunate that the TSA employees are taking advanatage of the situation. Hopefully, they will be severely punished.

 

[Winka]

I must be missing the point of the post...is this supposed to be surprising?

I imagine everyone is aware that after one checks one's luggage, here or abroad, god only knows who'll go through it. From baggage handlers to security screeners, they're all the same as far as I'm concerned. I don't know them; they don't know me....they have access to my belongings and I pray they take no interest in the contents.

Before and after Sept 11, nothing of particular, irreplaceable value is EVER put in my checked baggage....nothing's changed for me.

Or...are you concerned that something might be "planted" in the luggage? That's plausibly disturbing...

 

[GaryAdams]

wow its happening all over the world!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://icsurreyonline.icnetwork.co....atwick-security-staff-arrested-name_page.html


Eight Gatwick security staff arrested Mar 16 2004




By Rebecca Hopkinson


POLICE have arrested eight security staff at Gatwick Airport in connection with the theft of passengers' luggage worth £50,000.

The men, including two from Redhill, all worked for Initial Security which is contracted by airlines to screen passenger luggage in the North Terminal.

They were arrested at the airport last Thursday following a year-long joint operation between Sussex Police, British Airports Authority (BAA) and the Department for Transport (DFT).

Two men were arrested in the North Terminal at 8am on Thursday and six others were arrested at addresses in Crawley.

Property recovered by police, includes 30 laptops, more than 30 mobile phones, four digital and video cameras, watches and CDs.

Gatwick Police Detective Chief Inspector Sharon Rowe said: "The arrests are the result of a 12-month criminal investigation. "Our inquiries are still continuing and we anticipate that there will be further arrests."

A spokesman for BAA, which was also involved in the operation, said: "It is important to emphasise that both the police and the Department for Transport have confirmed there is absolutely no question of any threat to passenger, staff or aviation security.

"The operation inevitably caused disruption and delays to passengers and flights - and we would like to thank passengers for their under-standing and patience."

A spokesman for Initial Aviation Security confirmed police action resulted in the arrest of eight of its hold baggage screening team.

Detectives leading the inquiry are hoping to be able to identify return any stolen property.

They are asking any passengers who may have had property stolen from their luggage and have not reported it to contact the Gatwick Police Incident Management Centre on 0845 60 70 999.

The passengers will have been on flights departing from the North Terminal over a period of the last 12 months.



looks to me like these guys have been doing it for over a year.

guess the screeners in the UK arnt any better?

 

[ZachnElli]

I had some souvenirs stolen out of my luggage coming back from Maui in 2002. You can't take everything on carry on, they won't let you. The poster who had their camera stolen had been told they had too much carry on and had to check it last minute (I read and posted on that thread). As for why would you pack such things, well people move to other parts of the country like we just did and I packed a dvd player. It was the cheapest one we had, but I wanted one while we waited for the rest of our house to arrive. It wasn't stolen and it was in checked luggage. Believe me, you can't trust the movers to get all your stuff to you either.

 

[arminnie]

Originally posted by Van Helsing
Really i didn't know security screeners had been working that long

Security screeners are not the only ones who steal (again unfortunately).

 

[shortbun]

I trained as a travel agent with TWA in 1972/73. some of
my classmates went to work in baggage handling at O'Hare
after graduation. When I visited them, they showed me how
they and other behind the scenes luggage handlers were stealing
musical instruments, cases of liquor, clothes, TV's and I don't
remember what else. I was incensed and told them as much.
I left and never visited them again. I also passed this information
on regularly to my clients so they knew never to check anything
they did not want to lose. Either ship it or carry it.
Expose' was done in the early 80's about this and Eastern Airlines
in Atlanta. It's just not a suprise. Carry it, ship it or don't bring it.
I had a client once who checked all her real jewels in an unlocked
suitcase and was angry they were stolen. Geeesh!

 

[WebmasterAlex]

after 9/11 the TSA had to do a massive hiring. Not in the least surprising that some bad apples slipped through the hiring process.
We can say "oh it's not right" but it's reality.
Don't put anything in checked luggage that you can't lose and especially that the airline won't cover...

 

[safetymom]

I don't think your luggage was ever safe. I can remember watching news shows years ago where they showed just how easy it was to open a suitcase.

I agree with Alex, don't put anything in your suitcase you couldn't afford to lose.

 

[RachelEllen]

That was us that lost all the video equipment when TSA first started up. Our insurance eventually paid for most of it, but it took a long time. We'd normally never put that stuff in luggage, but it was right around when the new carryon rules were starting. My husband carries his laptop in a backpack with custom foam inserts. Since other laptop cases were being allowed on as the 'personal item,' he didn't think he'd have a problem. The gate agents, however, have a lot of leeway. So he either had to check the bag with video equipment or the laptop case. (As I remember, it was Christmas time, and he had several presents in the carryon suitcase. He took those out of the case, as they were also valuble, but couldn't fit anything else in the backpack) It was literally a matter of after reading the rules beforehand and checking as best we could, having to completely rearrange the carryon and decide what to check.

Things that really bothered us about this:

1) The laptop case was a lot smaller than some of those things people were taking on as purses. Gate agents need to have autonomy, but it gets to the point where you don't know what's going to be let on. Every security person asked up until the gate said that his carry-on allowance was ok.

2) There were security cameras filming the luggage search areas. They refused to review them to see who had stolen the items.

3) Someone was able to remove a good amount of electronic equipment from a suitcase and then leave the 'secure baggage area' with it, and they felt safe enough about how closely they were being observed to do it. How much of a leap is it to wonder just how hard it would be to smuggle something into a suitcase?

4) TSA refused to take responsibility and blamed the airlines. The airlines blamed TSA. Before TSA, there was a claim's process for lost luggage. Perhaps it's improved, but at that point, no one would even let us file a claim.

Rachel

 

[GeorgeG]

Our first and only cruise was ruined several years back because of airport baggage handlers stealing most of our luggage, including most of our clothes. That's the biggest reason we don't fly anymore.

To shrug it off by saying don't pack anything you can't afford to lose is like saying it's okay for someone to steal your property.

You've got to wonder who's watching the store. If airlines can't control these workers, how about the people who are maintaining and flying the planes?

All the luggage we want goes in the back of my van and I don't have to worry about the swiss army knife in my pocket. Besides, we get to have breakfast at Cracker Barrel, which beats airline food anytime.