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STICKY FINGERS

TSA Screener Fired, Accused of Swiping $36 From Luggage

The agency assures: theft not a big problem, all things considered

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by Dain Fitzgerald

Staff Writer t

Image: Tampa Bay Online

Have badge, will pilfer?

The Consumerist alerts us to the news that a staffer in the employ of the Transportation Security Administration has allegedly been caught stealing the petty sum of $36 from a traveler's luggage, and has since been fired.

A 52-year-old agent at North Carolina's Charlotte Douglas International Airport has been let go for good, in an act that accompanies the assurance by TSA officials that the agency "does not tolerate theft." In fact, the problem of "shrinkage" in the airline security industry is minimal when seen in context, claims the TSA. While there have been 381 cases of TSA officers getting fired for theft in the last decade, this represents "less than one half of one percent of officers that have been employed," as reported by Charlotte's WSOC-TV.

Of course that's little comfort to annoyed, bilked passengers: "The [TSA] employees are supposed to be protecting our land from future terrorist attacks, not stealing from fellow Americans."

Via The Consumerist and WSOC-TV.
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Does TSA theft seriously harm the reputation of the agency?

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Comments (view in Forum)

  • u
    RobertJHarsh
    !
    A better third option would have been "TSA is corrupt, this is just ONE incident that they were caught doing. They steal stuff all the time."
  • JustTheFacts
    !
    @RobertJHarsh You got that right! I remember a while back they arretsed two TSA thieves who had stolen more than $250,000 worth of stuff each year! This people are nothing but sexual preverts, thugs, and thieves!
  • frigginhell
    !
    Well, I hope that this money was taken by the police. As we all know it's within the province of law enforcement to seize any cash amount being carried by an individual in this country of 10,000 dollars or more. It's up to you to prove it's your money which can take months. They've used this to harass enough truck drivers over the years. It's time to let a rich guy feel it as well. Although I'm certain he'll have a legal team on it in no time flat. Was this a failing of the TSA, not really they caught the guy. How many other businesses are going to have an employee who when confronted with an chance to score an easy 36 million is going to risk it. Pretty much all of them? Yep.
  • PNWest
    !
    Neo - do you really not know who started the TSA? Sometimes I think you just put these comments out there for us to have a free poke at the right.
  • Neo_NtheMatrix
    !
    @PNWest - Did Bush have the TSA doing pat downs on Grandma and walking through body scanners? Believe it or not, every single idea Bush came up wasn't grand. However, obama has perverted many things Bush started. End the TSA!
  • PNWest
    !
    @Neo_NtheMatrix I wouldn't mind seeing the TSA ended. But I bet as soon as Obama announced he was going to end it that you and the other righties would be posting about how he was soft on terrorism.
  • View all 19 replies >
  • o
    woodtick57
    !
    i had two thefts from my luggage, but they were both before the TSA was around. none since...

    i wonder what the national average of theft reposrts has done since the TSA was enacted, gone up or down or the same...?
  • DARSB
    !
    While not in your league I do fly a few times a year. I've not had anything stolen, either, but once in a while the contents of my luggage are not too carefully repacked after inspection.
  • martydotcom
    !
    @woodtick57 From what I've been told the luggage screeners are under intense video observation any complaint can be easily track. I had issues but theft was not one of them
  • o
    woodtick57
    !
    @DARSB

    Once they checked out my big bottle of Dr. Bronners soap and forgot to replace the little tab of duct tape on the pop-top and at altitude it pop-topped and spewed on my luggage...other than that, no complaints...
  • o
    woodtick57
    !
    @martydotcom

    That is what I was wondering, if the miore intense focus on luggage security from check in till pickup has actrually cut down on luggage theft from the handlers...
  • View all 13 replies >
  • Knightkore
    !
    The TSA...come on...how can an organization that feels up and humiliates grannies, little girls, disabled and full figured women be bad? If you don't noticed the sarcasm...basically this government outfit should be disbanded...immediately...
  • harold_lloyd
    !
    I hate it when I start hearing weasel words. It makes me think whoever said it is hiding something from me. Like the truth.

    The TSA was one of those things politicians do in reaction to a disaster because they wanted to be seen Doing Something. It's a waste.

    If the NYPD reported as much corruption, it would be a major scandal.

    Send a few crooked TSA people to prison for 10 years or so, and thefts would dwindle.

    Wal-mart keeps better tabs on its employees than the TSA.

    Ain't that a shame?
  • o
    woodtick57
    !
    So you'd get on planes with no security clearance at all for the passengers? it's be a pretty empty flight. you could probabluy upgrade to first class. hell, you could probably upgrade to the cockpit as there would be no crew to fly you anywhere...
  • harold_lloyd
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    @woodtick57
    Off on a rant? When you get back, you'll see that I never said no security was needed, just that the TSA wasn't competent to do it.
    I fly first class anyway...
  • harold_lloyd
    !
    @woodtick57
    Are you purposefully obtuse?
    Trying to stop a bomb or gun from getting on a plane is a good idea.
    The TSA has not proven very effective at that.
    They are also tasked with port security. They don't even inspect the vast majority in incoming containerized freight.
    The TSA is not doing even a mediocre job of making sure the nation is safe.
    So...take the money now going to the TSA and send it to local and state law enforcement or port authorities and let them do it. Hopefully better.
  • o
    woodtick57
    !
    @harold_lloyd how was that obtuse in any way? how di the port authorityies do before the TSA? why would you think they would do ti better/ why would one gov't agency be better than another?
  • View all 7 replies >
  • o
    woodtick57
    !
    Oh yeah, what a hassel put your bag in a bin and take off your shoes...I've been to nightclubs that had more security....

    i'm sure that's why you quit...
  • o
    woodtick57
    !
    @Bullitt and how is it such a hassel to check guns for hunting trips? if you feel you need to carry them on the plane,(although hunting rifles wouldn't fit in the overhead.) that might be a problem but is checking them really a hassel?
  • View all 23 replies >
  • PNWest
    !
    Probably a slow news day. Hope that things are well in Denizen Kate world. We're having a heat wave up here. The temps are in the low 40's.
  • o
    PattyD
    !
    Add that to the drunk pilots. The Federal Government has drunk pilot programs. Might as well add some more pork for the thieving security guards too..this country is fked up!!
  • Fishbone345
    !
    Now that is entirely too logical of a conclusion to make. I'm gonna have to ask you to make a more unrelated bash on either the President and the Senate, or the GOP and the House please. Than you for your compliance with Politix standards.
  • u
    KyleMFb
    !
    Every work place has to deal with employee theft or customer theft or both people still from Walmart all the time does that make wal mart courpt??? Even tho their modern day slave drivers
  • Your_Name_Here
    !
    @Politicskid They discriminate against white people, they promote unqualified Hispanics, that sort of thing. Remember the next time you fly that some of the passengers on your plane were screened by someone who may not be qualified to screen passengers but they happened to be the right color.
  • Politicskid
    !
    I don't like either of the option in this poll. I don't think TSA is reliable, but it's for more then just this, because in this case they were able to fire the agent.
  • Keyjo
    !
    The T.S.A. needs to be extended. Not at airports but at container terminals. This is the great hole in our travel security
  • u
    CommonSense
    !
    Fired? That's it?
    I believe the law provides for more serious consequences then that. Why isn't this guy being charged with theft? He should go to jail and he should have to pay back his victim by far more than what he stole.
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