Newark TSA screener charged with pilfering from luggage

Well, I'll go to the airport.

Just don't ask me to board a plane.

 

Never, never pack anything in checked baggage that you can't afford to lose. Does nobody remember those Samsonite commercials with the gorilla baggage-handler? It happens.

That said, some airlines have TSA screening in their lobbies, so you can WATCH your bag get pawed through and make sure they re-lock your bag. Not all, but some.

A couple of years ago there was an ongoing investigation involving missing electronics. Turns out that a couple of screeners were slapping additional stickers on bags that x-rays showed had interesting contents. Down in the depths of Baggage, another handler would then relieve the bags of these items, well away from any observation. They were caught when the Station Manager and local cops set up a sting. They actually sat up in Operations and watched the whole thing go down.

As soon as you notice a missing item, report it to the airline's baggage claim and to the TSA's website. And use TSA locks, so you know who to blame.

 

Funny, I thought federalizing these schmoes was supposed to stop all this shit...

 

Ha. Yeah, right.

I have a family member who works TSA at one of the NY airports. He went to work loaded to the gills one day. Before he left, I asked him if what his supervisors would say and he just laughed.