Luv2cattlecall From United States, joined Sep 2007, 1479 posts, RR: 2 Posted (1 year 3 weeks 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 6010 times:
A TSA screener at EWR was caught stealing high value items and selling them on eBay - the thing that did him is was when he decided to list a $47,000 CNN camera which they, of course, noticed. He worked behind the counter screening checked bags.
Bail is set at $100,000 - feel free to use Paypal if you'd like to donate to his cause. He's currently on paid leave...your 9/11 security fee dollars at work.
Khobar From United States, joined Mar 2006, 2334 posts, RR: 3 Reply 6, posted (1 year 3 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 5744 times:
He didn't steal the $47,000 camera from CNN - he stole it from HBO. However, he did steal A camera from CNN.
"Pythias started small, stealing cameras, laptop computers, gaming consoles and eventually moved on to the good stuff including a video camera belonging to CNN, and a $47,900 camera stored inside the bag of an HBO employee."
LHR777 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 7, posted (1 year 3 weeks 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 5466 times:
The HBO crew flew CO18 EWR-LHR a few weeks ago. I met them on arrival and had to do all the police reports for the stolen items. I'm glad this scum-bag TSA guy has been found out, he deserves to be in jail.
57AZ From United States, joined Nov 2004, 2490 posts, RR: 3 Reply 10, posted (1 year 3 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 5059 times:
Anybody read recently about the large number of TSA uniforms and restricted access badges that the TSA has lost over the years? What a bunch of maroons!
"When a man runs on railroads over half of his lifetime he is fit for nothing else-and at times he don't know that."
LHR777 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 11, posted (1 year 3 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 4952 times:
Quoting Highguy76 (Reply 8): I know it must be fairly large, and probably not carry on size, but who puts a $47,000 camera in checked luggage out of EWR?
There has to be a better way of shipping equipment.
It wasn't just a 'checked bag'. It was in a professional hard-sided, locked camera case, as used by TV crews across the world.
KevinDCA From United States, joined Aug 2000, 97 posts, RR: 3 Reply 12, posted (1 year 3 weeks 1 day 18 hours ago) and read 4823 times:
This is pathetic, but hardly surprising. There is a certain percentage of people in ANY profession who will take advantage of an opportunity to steal or take what isn't theirs. No matter how many background checks you do, no matter what the salary is, no matter how many references you check, dishonest people slip through and figure out a way to steal.
I think the average TSA front line employee is pretty decent and honest and just trying to do their job. This guy was a sleazebag, but the bottom line is TSA management doesn't apparently have any kind of deterrent in place to scare this guy or others like him from stealing. It's a shame, but if CCTV, pat-downs and bag checks are what comes from this, it's obviously overdue, all thanks to a small minority of workers.
I suspect that might be because in your country, allegedly, I had heard you were supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. Is that not true? That is how the law works here anyway (or at least is supposed to).
Manu From Canada, joined Dec 2004, 386 posts, RR: 10 Reply 16, posted (1 year 3 weeks 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 4491 times:
Who polices the police? That is what immediately comes to mind for me with respect to this case. And this is yet another reason I carry on whenever I can!
LuiePL From United States, joined Apr 2007, 57 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (1 year 3 weeks 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 3400 times:
This is why I take my camera and laptop through screening and carry-on. If they want my smelly drawers, let em. They won't be getting $2k in electronics though.
YYZatcboy From Canada, joined Apr 2005, 478 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (1 year 3 weeks 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 3257 times:
Quoting RussianJet (Reply 13): I suspect that might be because in your country, allegedly, I had heard you were supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. Is that not true? That is how the law works here anyway (or at least is supposed to).
If I stole anything on the job, I would be fired and arrested on the spot. I don't know of any job that would put me on paid leave if I stole something there.
I would assume it's the same in the USA. It might have something to do with the fact that he is a federal agent.
Chuchoteur From France, joined Sep 2006, 255 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (1 year 3 weeks 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 3021 times:
Quoting Highguy76 (Reply 8): There has to be a better way of shipping equipment.
Not really...
going the other way, I've just shipped 2 gift packs for a charity auction in the USA.
currently, my shipping department allow 7 days for US Customs.
The shipment went on 11/10/08 morning, was in USA 11/1/08 afternoon local time, and has been stuck with US customs ever since. There are 4 books and some pens in the pack, US customs are asking "HOW MANY PAGES ARE IN THE BOOK" and "WHAT MATERIALS ARE THE PENS MADE OF" before they will CONSIDER releasing the goods...
Incidentally, for the pens we had to fill in a non-hazardous liquids form (for the ink), and we abstained from sending T-shirts as otherwise we would have had to fill in a textile materials declaration form...
... can you immagine shipping a camera? especially one that requires a temporary import declaration form as it will then be exiting the country again?
next time, it's going into my checked luggage and flying with me... *sigh
HangarRat From United States, joined Jul 2005, 593 posts, RR: 0 Reply 25, posted (1 year 3 weeks 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 2426 times:
Quoting YYZatcboy (Reply 23): If I stole anything on the job, I would be fired and arrested on the spot. I don't know of any job that would put me on paid leave if I stole something there.
In the US, we go by the maxim that a person is considered innocent until proven guilty. Don't know how things work up there in the Great Frozen North.
It's common among most government jobs that an employee accused of a crime or other misconduct is reassigned or suspended with full pay and benefits until the disposition of charges. To stop someone's pay before they're convicted would be unjust punishment in the eyes of the law.
However, I would support a change in the law that requires a public employee convicted of a crime to repay salary collected between the filing of charges and the date of conviction. That would be fair to the taxpayer and public employees and would ratchet up the deterrent effect of criminal prosecution.
Spell check is a false dog
26 YYZatcboy: you guys are the same as us, which stems from the British system. The only system that I know of in the west that does not follow that principle is t
27 RussianJet: Why?? What if you actually are innocent? Why should you be put through hell to be then found innocent? If you are guilty then the punishment will com
28 YYZatcboy: The way it should be is Leave Without Pay, and if you are found innocent then get back pay for the duration of the leave. I don't have a problem if he
29 Spacepope: Well theres your problem! Locks mean "steal me" to TSA, though our company has only had one digital camera get liberated by airport security agents.
30 AirportSeven: Some days, I wish that I could could write up LOI's for the TSA and then make them spend months running around in circles trying to answer them. Most
31 RussianJet: I can understand where you're coming from, but it still basically equates to punishing someone before they are proven to be guilty.
32 YYZatcboy: It's not though because they don't end up any further behind if they are innocent. If they are guilty they don't get anything extra. Either way this i
33 Mirrodie: More appropriately: Thieves Standing Around Thieves Steathily Acting.
34 RussianJet: A potentially long time without pay is harsh. I wouldn't say it doesn't disadvantage a person, even if they got paid back if proven innocent. Have to
35 Bennett123: I also remember News stories about "Thiefrow", I suspect that it happens at all Airports to varying degrees. However, the USA is the only place where
36 Litz: I'm still trying to get over the fact that the guy got this fairly sizable piece of equipment out of the sterile area, to begin with! A laptop or GPS
37 MWHCVT: This I find interesting because I happen to have a security badge that I have to wear at all times when at work from getting into the carpark in the
38 AirCop: Not true, if the internal investigation shows what he is accused of actually happened the TSA person will be fired at once.That's the same for most g
39 ShyFlyer: Actually, we can lock our luggage. We must use an approved lock though.
40 Vivavegas: I have not checked in through MIA lately, but do they still have those vendors/machines that stretch wrap your luggage? Wondering with the new TSA stu
41 FXramper: A year or so ago, I had a TSA agent try and take my iPod. After running it through the screener once, they took it from my bag and ran it several more
42 Bennett123: Still a prob if the lock is built into the case, but definately a move in the right direction.
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