TSA agent steals $5k cash from passenger

When I've carried large amounts of cash, I've put it in an envelope and carried it through in my hand with my money from my pocket. I've had them look in the envelope but not ever ask any questions. I'd be reluctant to have it separated from me in the X-ray machine. On vacations, I've often carried more than the unusual amount of cash. I also have to do that going to some places out of the country if flying myself. Mexico wanted cash payment for all fuel purchases.

Dave
 
Only theft theft - ever - in TSA history - and saying otherwise is a matter of national security - happened with 8 iPads just 7 days ago: http://consumerist.com/2012/02/tsa-...ith-8-ipads-that-were-definitely-not-his.html

Again I was (not) amused when I was flying out of Ontario, California where the search line went past the fine, fine, fine, expert, highly trained and professional TSA goons searching luggage so we could hear the chatter, "OOOO, What do we have here? It's her iPod..."



Voyeurs! Criminals! THE TSA IS HIRING!
 
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I've never gone through security with five grand, but I've gone through many times with a couple grand on me. I have carried it through in a money belt, and have never had it challenged. In case you don't know, paper money does not set off any alarms. In fact, I know how to go through without causing any problems at all. I empty my pockets, take off my shoes, pull my computer out of my carry-on and put it in a separate basket, make sure that I don't have any liquids, and most of all I keep my mouth shut and don't make stupid remarks to people.
 
When you pay un-educated/under-educated folks a very low wage and they are in charge of handling the possessions of folks all day, every day... with the current low levels of cultural pride in "making your own way"... they're going to steal anything they think they can get their hands on and not get caught.

Most WalMart stores have double the number of cameras watching employee-only areas versus the customer areas, for theft control... for example. Picking on WalMart a bit, but pretty much all Retail stores are that way nowadays.

Which leads to another question... where are the cameras watching the TSA staff...? And secondarily... who pays for them.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Because the next person who is going to bring down an airliner probably already has a job working on the ramp so he / she / it can avoid the screening altogether.
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That would involve them getting a job to work on the ramp. The professional security that's already in place can be paid off with petty cash to look the other way if things like the petty thefts like the ipod post is real. It's probably less hassle to pay the national security front lines hero tsa agent with $1000 and a gift certificate to wallyworld than to sneak into the system for several years. Train them, send'em over with cash, pay the guard, walk through and and do whatever. It's almost as easy and as quick as a mcdonalds drive through doing it that way...probably easier since the drive through is likely to mess up your order.

We can't trust them with pocket trinkets, how is it possible to trust them with national security? Seriously. It's a crockup and makes them impossible to trust or respect.

Despicable in the extreme.
 
fgcason said:
That would involve them getting a job to work on the ramp. The professional security that's already in place can be paid off with petty cash to look the other way if things like the petty thefts like the ipod post is real. It's probably less hassle to pay the national security front lines hero tsa agent with $1000 and a gift certificate to wallyworld than to sneak into the system for several years. Train them, send'em over with cash, pay the guard, walk through and and do whatever. It's almost as easy and as quick as a mcdonalds drive through doing it that way...probably easier since the drive through is likely to mess up your order.

We can't trust them with pocket trinkets, how is it possible to trust them with national security? Seriously. It's a crockup and makes them impossible to trust or respect.

Despicable in the extreme.
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You're playing right into the narrative...

"We don't pay them enough and so we don't get quality applicants..."
 
Here you go! The GED folks being hired off ads on pizza boxes are now training food vendors on what to look for in potential terrorists <g> Suspicious activities may include using a video camera, talking to police officers, wearing hoodies, driving vans, writing on a piece of paper, and using a cell phone recording application.

Seesh, I'm going to tell local leaders I know I'd prefer not to have a SB here.

Best,

Dave
=========================================================

http://tinyurl.com/7u2hekz
 
dmccormack said:
You're playing right into the narrative...
"We don't pay them enough and so we don't get quality applicants..."
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Actually I'm not. Pay them a million dollars an hour and they would still likely lift someone's wallet.

Some of the most despicable types I've had the displeasure of meeting are stinking filthy rich and would toss you into a firey furnace for $3 and change.
Some of the best people I've met with integrity beyond anything you'll even encounter in business are financially worse off than dirt poor.
Then there are people that are the exact opposite or some random point in between.

It's about behavior and ethics, not money. If they can't be trusted at any payscale to keep their hands off other people's trivial stuff, they can't be trusted with something actually important like national security...but they are for some reason.
 
I know we all have little love for the TSA or how they operate, but what is the alternative?

What if we all just told them to take a hike? Does that mean we just take our chances that no idiot will blow up the cattle car we are riding in. That one wont explode over our own house, rather than the neighbor we don't like anyway?

Is all the TSA theatrics actually protecting us, or is it just providing jobs to those who would otherwise be standing on corners with their please help cardboard signs?

Do you think it will ever be possible to just get on an airplane and fly wherever we want with our gun strapped to our belt like you could before 9-11 ever again?

We seem to expect more professionalism from our TSA agents and inspectors, but is that expectation actually realistic? Throughout history, in just about every nation that has felt a need for security forces, haven't those forces always been culled from the lowest denominator in their labor pools?

What is it we, as a nation, want, or what is it we expect? Are those wants and expectations realistic or even possible?

John
 
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About 500,000 people in the US have died in automobile accidents in the past 10 years, about 3,000 people have died in terrorist attacks during that same period. If our government would like to actually help our society, convert the TSA into the Traffic Safety Association.

"Since 2000, the odds of you dying as a result of a terrorist act aboard a commercial American airliner is 1 in 25 million. The odds of getting struck by lightning: 1 in 500,000." http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/da...5_million_struck_by_lightning_1_in_500000.php
 
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I vote we have the TSA guys go hold umbrellas in the rain on golf courses. Give the lightning strikes somewhere to go so they leave the rest of us alone. ;)
 
I'm worried that TSA is fast becoming political pork. Jobs for unemployable in some congressional districts.

One of the problems the military has is shutting down bases they don't need. Politicians sacrifice training fuel and steaming dollars to keep civilian jobs in their districts. TSA might not be any different.

As far as security goes, I propose that all Flight Attendants (already mandatory safety personnel) be deputized and given security training. Why use federal Marshals, just hire cops to be on board safety equipment.

My suggestion was published in AWS&T right after 9/11, but the idea never gained any traction.

When you consider how many passengers get drunk and act like idiots, It sounded like the perfect solution to me.
 
kontiki said:
I'm worried that TSA is fast becoming political pork. Jobs for unemployable in some congressional districts.

One of the problems the military has is shutting down bases they don't need. Politicians sacrifice training fuel and steaming dollars to keep civilian jobs in their districts. TSA might not be any different.

As far as security goes, I propose that all Flight Attendants (already mandatory safety personnel) be deputized and given security training. Why use federal Marshals, just hire cops to be on board safety equipment.

My suggestion was published in AWS&T right after 9/11, but the idea never gained any traction.

When you consider how many passengers get drunk and act like idiots, It sounded like the perfect solution to me.
Click to expand...

Like any government entitiy they need to feed on themselves to justify their existance.........

Pentagon Base Budget$5.6 trillion$290.5 billion$526.1 billion43 percent

Nuclear Weapons$230.3 billion$12.4 billion$19.0 billion21 percent

Iraq and Afghan Wars$1.36 trillion

Homeland Security$635.9 billion*$16 billion$69.1 billion301 percent

http://nationalpriorities.org/en/publications/2011/us-security-spending-since-911/

That was last years figures... I believe the HSA budget is twice again as big this year...... 600+% growth..... This an agency that has a HUGE appetite for money.... And it ain't gonna get any smaller....... Us old guys /gals might die before the country craters.... You young kids are TOAST !!!!:yesnod::yesnod::yesnod::sad:

Ben.
 
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