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Posted on 03/22/2007 10:01:20 PM PDT by bd476
TSA Employees Accused of Thefts at LAX
Victims include Paris Hilton, Keyshia Cole
LOS ANGELES, Mar. 22, 2007 - Misdemeanor theft cases are being filed against 10 employees and a transient suspected of pilfering the personal property of travelers at LAX, including hotel heiress Paris Hilton and singer Keyshia Cole, the City Attorney's Office announced today.
Most of the alleged thieves are employed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration, said Nick Velasquez of the City Attorney's Office.
A news conference is planned at LAX tomorrow morning to discuss details of the investigation and charges.
"We're a public law office, so whenever there's a significant announcement or a significant legal actions being taken, it's our duty and obligation to tell the public ... that we are working to ensure the safety and security of travelers at LAX," Velasquez said.
Eight of the defendants are TSA employees who work at Los Angeles International Airport and two are employees of an LAX subcontractor, Velasquez said.
City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo will be joined for the announcement by Larry Fetters, federal security director for the TSA; Jack Hook, special agent in charge with the Department of Homeland Security-Office of the Inspector General; and LAPD Capt. Bob Green, commanding officer of the LAPD-LAX Field Services Division.
During the news conference, Delgadillo will also announce the launch of his "LAX Security Enhancement Initiative," according to Velasquez.
Agree completely.
"Misdemeanor theft cases are being filed against 10 employees and a transient suspected of pilfering the personal property of travelers at LAX"
Good thing they are pensioned. It will be heck firing them, and the govt will have to pay for their rehab, because they are sick and depressed based on FEMA's response to Katrina.
Anyone dare post pictures of the ten criminals?
The TSA was created by the Airport Security Federalization Act of 2001.
In the House, Republicans supported the act, 212 for, 2 against, while Democrats voted 72 for, 136 against.
The bill was passed 100 to 0 in the Senate.
Actually I think it should go a step further. Since these are government employees and their actions can cause disruption in the operation of the airlines they should be charged under the terrorism laws.
The Act was to bring all airports under some uniform Federally established level of security --- a level that SHOULD have been achieved under the previous Clinton Administrations, but typical of those administrations was ignored...
The vote reflects the overwhelming DEMAND by the public that airport security address the threat, while the Democrats made just as much noise over THEIR demand that the screeners be Federal Employees and thus Democrat funding Union Dues paying plantation hands..
Every politician I can remember speaking the famous line "Federalize to Professionalize" was a DEMOCRAT..
Only the self serving elitist Democrats would be ignorant enough to believe the only professionals in America are Federal Employees..
I believe the Act also provided that after 3 Years -- the airports could PRIVATIZE the screeners......as a false compromise by the Democrats to the Republicans. Of course this will never happen..
The whole scenario is another example of the Republicans being the Stupid party and the Democrats being more concerned with political power than the long term security of the nation..
Semper Fi
Good point .
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But we had quite a layover at LAX so had some time to look around. There, just as in so many other places, the secure area contains plenty of opportunities to gather various objects I imagine would be useful to the hijacking kind.
Airport security is a joke, but it does provide employment and other obvious opportunities for the less ambitious who can't make a living anywhere else.
I wonder what his immigration status is.</silliness>
My wife went through last week and had the same experience.
I can think of a reason that makes some sense. When we left Mexico last month, authorities hand searched EVERY checked bag right at the check in counters. For those of us going on the TWO outgoing flights at the Alaska Airlines counter, the wait was over 2-1/2 hours we may have rather spent browsing the duty free shops (or just about anything other than waiting in line). Most people don't like having so much of their time being wasted for them - I know I sure didn't.
Just exactly a month ago they stole the Bic lighter out of my camera bag (like maybe I was gonna go big and take down a DH-8 turboprop - somehow, with that). The same lighter made it from Eugene to Puerto Vallarta and back. Guess I should have put it in my pocket. But no worry - I had no more use for it then until I got home - and just in case, I still had plenty of matches.
I used to work for that agency. I resigned after 2 years basically in disgust for this type of activity as well as other things.
Most likely they didn't steal your lighter. It was a prohibited item per their regs at least at that time. They should have left a note in the bag. As far as the lighter getting thru other airports , it probably was just missed.
IMHO the primary reason this case came to light was the victims were mainly celebrities with high visibility and high end items. The TSA couldn't sweep the thefts under the rug. Ordinary people probably wouldn't have received the same attention, sad to say.
I was half joking. They didn't snitch it, they found it in the carry on and told me it was prohibited and offered to "throw it away" for me (bet the TSA folks don't ever have to buy stuff like that - but big deal, 99 cents and probably 2/3 used up). But when I began the trip five days earlier and first boarded in Eugene, it wasn't (or maybe they just didn't care that I had it there). Point is, they are inconsistent. Second point is matches appear to be OK. Third point is, a pocketed disposable lighter would most likely walk right through the metal detector.
But I can see the problem with checked bags and lack of visibility of the inspection crews. In the Eugene airport (a very small airport) the baggage inspection area is right up front. You go to check in and get them tagged, then carry them yourself to the TSA inspection area which is in the open in the main lobby area, and they feed them on a short belt through an imaging device and that's it. From there they are taken by the airlines' privately employed handlers right to the planes. That scenario probably wouldn't be practical at large airports though. Most luggage has false bottoms, and I figure valuables are relatively safe there.
lax Security Enhancement Initiative?
Uh huh. Who is guarding the guards?
Some of our valuables were missing from our luggage after going through customs in Orlando after returning from Jamaica.
I'm sure this happens to the tune of millions each year.
They were supposed to be thoroughly background checked and specially trained.
In reality there was a huge national recruiting effort to staff these positions. Basically anyone who was willing to work for peanuts was hired. I've seen the background of some of the Project Managers to head the staffing push and they were mostly bottom of the barrell, with some exceptions of course.
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