200 baggage screeners fired for stealing
June 4, 2008 by Fred HosierPosted in: Employees do the strangest things, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views
It’s like firing your security guard for theft. But that’s just what the Transportation Security Administration had to do.
Since it was created in 2001, the TSA has fired about 200 employees accused of stealing from air travelers’ luggage.
(Under the Wished We Thought of That category, Tribune Media Services writer Christopher Elliott wonders whether TSA stands for “Taking Something Always.)
The TSA says it has taken steps to discourage workers from helping themselves: background checks on new hires, video cameras in screening areas and rules forbidding employee backpacks or lunchboxes at checkpoints.
The agency says the problem isn’t widespread. It further ensures that TSA aggressively investigates all allegations of misconduct.
But for anyone traveling for business or pleasure this summer, there’s this piece of advice: Don’t pack anything valuable in your checked-in luggage. Better yet: Don’t take valuables on vacation, period.
Tags: air travel, fired, stealing
June 6th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
The carry on screenings can be just as disconcerting.
Just last year the TSA in Orlando opened my 68 year old father’s shaving kit in his carry-on after the x-ray belt and started reading the prescription bottle labels.
Of course they were trying to hustle my father down the walkway, so he had trouble watching to see if his meds were opened or even placed back in the kit.
In 2002, I had the TSA hand searcher in Reno, pull my VS bras out of the suitcase and hold them up - no privacy screening - right by ticketing/check-in desk. She was too heavy to wear them, and her male co-worker looked at them then at me, then proceded to go throught my husband’s CD collection in one of those CD wallets - I felt like we were their version of TSA Wal-mart. If I had known in advance about the Reno TSA’s interest in lingerie, I would have purchased some feather boas and platform shoes to see if they would blush or try to make me blush. They even frisked my waist length hair - I was wearing in a braid - possible garotte?
June 6th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
My daughter’s fiance was sent to Maryland for a training program for 6 weeks so he took with him a number of DVD’s of his favorite TV series. His luggage was lost and then recovered a few weeks later, but of course, minus all of the DVD’s. Everything else seemed to be disheveled, but intact. Unfortunately, since 9/11 we can no longer lock our luggage, which leaves us at the mercy, not only of the inspectors, but of anyone who handles it along the way.
June 9th, 2008 at 9:12 am
I had a portable GPS navigational system stolen from my luggage on a flight from Phoenix to Pittsburgh in January. I wrote to the airline, who had me fill out a claim form and attach my original receipt for the device, my baggage claim ticket, and boarding passes for both legs of the return flight. Who keeps these things? I did find them all and submitted everything as requested, only to receive a letter stating that my item was not found. Thanks a lot! I will never trust the airline with any valuables again. Too bad.
September 26th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Since 9/11 and all the new ruling nothing can be took in the carry on. I went to Disney to celebrate my daughter’s birthday; I bought a lot of small gifts and crystal bottles that could not be in the carry on. They never got me, AA make me file a claim including the receipts, the whole process took over 90 days to later received a letter claiming that none will be paid, so I lost the memories, gifts, money, the bad time and of course money.