Posted on 12/17/2004 9:18:58 AM PST by yatros from flatwater
The travel season is here, but, do you feel safe sending your luggage through the airport? The surveillance video is disturbing. A TSA worker at JFK airport in New York, allegedly rifling through a bag planted by police, removing jewels and money. This suspect was charged with larceny and possession of stolen property. Theft has been a problem for as long as travelers have been checking their bags, but now, the TSA is keeping track. Since taking control of baggage screening nearly two years ago, it's received more than 28,000 complaints of damaged, lost or stolen items. The total value: nearly $36 million. But no one knows how many of those are false claims. Air traveler Randy Rutland says, "Everything was in the luggage when we left from here." Rutland, of Louisiana, claims it happened to him while flying out of New Orleans. He says his luggage was checked, then secured with blue tags to indicate they'd been hand searched by the TSA, but when he got his bags, a brand new digital camera and his daughter's compact discs were missing. "I think somebody went through our bags, saw a nice camera and some cd's and they took 'em," Rutland says. The value: $1600. So far, the TSA has settled some 19,000 claims totaling $2.5 million, including $152,000 worth of claims at LAX, $111,000 dollars at JFK, followed by Seattle, Las Vegas and Oakland. The TSA is now adding surveillance cameras in baggage handling and secure areas to watch for theft. TSA Administrator, Admiral David Stone, says, "In issues of theft, there's a zero-tolerance and we need to make sure that we route that out of our organization because it gets to the very core of who we are and that trust and confidence bond with the American people." Only 66 TSA workers have been arrested out of 60,000 present and past TSA screeners, and for every TSA employee who handles a bag, it's touched by four airline employees. Still, the TSA itself warns travelers to pack valuables, like jewelry and money in carry-on bags.
Then it shouldn't be too difficult for you to find a couple or three legitimate reports of this actually happening. Go ahead and find them. We'll wait.
About two days ago, it was mentioned that a rider to the new intel bill bans butane and propane lighters from airplanes now. Dunno about the trusty Zippo.
Seems some sky is falling congresscritter opined as how if the shoe bomber had had a Bic as opposed to paper matches he would have suceeded in lighting the fuse to his shoes.
Go figger.
Wasn't it little tommy daschle who said if you want professionals, hire federal workers. Professional thieves maybe.
Oh, fun! I have been to Canada several times, and they always ask us why we went, what we brought back, but we've never gotten searched.
Everyone complains about airport security, but I'd rather fly than spend two days driving across the country at this time of year. Hopefully I don't get patted down by some butch lesbian.
"..."To professionalize, you must federalize."
~ Senator Tom Daschle, (D-SD), 2001..."
Soon-to-be-ex-Senator Tom Daschle, (D-SD), 2005.
Just couldn't resist.
Some jack off in Seattle has a brand new Cleveland pitching wedge that used to belong to me. He is probably practicing hitting balls off the tarmac while he is supposed to be screening bags for dangerous items. I hope he develops a nasty slice -- those are hard to get rid of.
Apparently not all locations have cameras yet, hence this story. Plus, even when there's a camera, it's tricky to identify a particular bag on the usual low-quality video, especially when you don't know who searched it, nor exactly when. Add scanning of a tag, and you've got the inspector and the exact time, making identifying which camera and the segment of tape easy.
I'd expect it (questions and searches) coming back into the country from Canada or Mexico, but still can't get used to being stopped and questioned at a permanently manned checkpoint after just getting CLOSE to the border (within 30-40 miles).
those little teeny locks that come with your luggage? that's what they are for
I heard that the mafia runs JFK. If you fly out of there hope that your plane paid all its dues
The thanks goes to David Osborne.
This blue city map tells the story of where the left wing voters live. They live in the crumbling and dangerous big cities.
The mob runs NY and NJ
yep and Hillary
so how do we know whether to blame the airline for losing
my bags instead of TSA stealing them now?
DON'T put valuable or personal items in a bag you are checking...
like my carry Glock?
I think most government officials should get checked three times a day. All I want is the same medical coverage they get.
It has been happening in the Middle-East, where in Baghdad some have been forced in this manner to do suicide bombings to save their own. It is not an uncommon technique and may be used here one day.
Do you have a citation? I can find no instance of this happening.
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