scrapbug
Full Member
Posts: 343
Jun 26, 2014 0:11:46 GMT
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Post by scrapbug on Jul 26, 2014 1:29:53 GMT
Don't automatically assume it's theft. Of course there are immoral people who will steal but everyone down there did pass a federal background check so they're not hiring deadbeats. Everything is fast moving and any one individual is with your luggage for mere seconds most of the time. There are TOO MANY occurrences of theft. A back-ground check? Federal? No, there is just a general criminal check, similar to what many stores run, and if you have not been caught, there is NOTHING on you. Many Apple products have been traced to TSA employee's residences. Others have been arrest for "other" things and when their residences were searched, many reported stolen items were found. WRONG. #1 - TSA employees actually get extensive background checks, the same as other agencies and Federal Law Enforcement agents/officers. They go through a host of checks, meet with Federal investigators, etc. There may have been a time in the beginning where the above statement was true, but it is no longer that way.#2 - Many apple products HAVE NOT been traced to TSA employees homes. In fact - I've only heard of one time, and that was the douche bag in FL in 2012 who blamed it on his wife. I couldn't find anything before or since. #3 - yes, others have been caught and arrested, but it is a few. There are turds in every profession, from the president on down, unfortunately, every large group is going to have a few bad apples. My dh is a Federal LE agent, and he had an expensive gun part stolen out of his locker at his work! One of his colleagues ripped off Best Buy - stole a Ps3. Another sort of "colleague" - same type of agent, different area - committed rape and murder - and the list goes on. The thing is, that unfortunately there are bad apples, but they are a small percentage.
Even with the person getting a pay check from a major airline, and wearing that airlines' "uniform," The airlines refuse to have any responsibility over the handling of cargo (any cargo including pets) because they classify the ground support employees as "INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS" and the airline is not liable for ANYTHING that happens. And frankly I trust them more than TSA. Also, because there are TSA employees that "screen" cargo (like your bags and pets), the airlines will not take responsibility for what NON-employees do. Each airline is different and take a different policy.
TSA employees for the most part ARE NOT FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS. They have not attended the Federal Law Enforcement Training Course. There are a FEW real Federal Agents, but the employees for the most part, have at best a month's worth of training and most of that are on the Federal personnel system and OSHA work standards. You're right - TSA are not law enforcement officials with the exception of K9 and Federal Air Marshals. They are, however, Federal Officers. They are with the National Finance Center (NFC) pay system - just like other DHS employees and a myriad of others. It all changed a long time ago. As far as OSHA - I'm not sure about that one, I know everyone has to comply with them, but not sure what your "work standards" means. TSA is part of the federal union AFGE - who contracted their current work standards.
In 2001, THIS WAS NOT THE CASE, the initial cadre were mostly retired Law Enforcement Officers and Separated or Retired Military personnel with a background in some forms of security. I knew several people that worked in the same career field as I did on active duty, that worked for a time with TSA. By 2005 most of these people had left the Agency over stupid stuff that was "security theater" not actual security. The people working there now... well, there is a reason why every "attempt" has been stopped by the plane's passengers and crew, and not any Federal Authority. Yeah - there were a lot of retired military, and a lot of airline personnel that moved over to TSA. You're talking about the early days of the agency, and things have changed a lot. I know there was a lot of turn over.
You shouldn't post something if you don't get your facts right first. All the information I posted can be found by doing several different types of searching, looking at the history of the agency, etc. I hate for anyone to develop an opinion based on someone else's biased view. That's not to say you're not right in your feelings, maybe you've had a bad experience, but not everybody's is, and should form their own opinions based on their own personal experiences. Now, as far as me having anything stolen? No I haven't, and I've flown a lot. Now, I have had my bags ripped, outside pocket zippers broken and pockets ripped, plus some sort of pink liquid (I'm thinking juice) somehow spilled inside. I did have a detachable pull strap go missing on a bag that I had forgotten to take it off of and stick inside. I don't for one second think that anyone stole it - I'm sure it either got broken off or they took it off and it didn't get placed inside the luggage properly. I also have never had missing luggage or luggage that didn't arrive at the same time I did. I'm lucky - so far.
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scrapbug
Full Member
Posts: 343
Jun 26, 2014 0:11:46 GMT
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Post by scrapbug on Jul 26, 2014 2:01:28 GMT
The only time I had anything go missing from checked luggage was back in 1987, so this was long before TSA. It was the cutest pair of hot pink snakeskin flats I'd bought at Nordstrom. I was flying from Geneva to my mom's through JFK. Who knows where they went missing. Being expats for years, we did lots of flights all over and we've never had anything stolen. But we are very careful not to check anything valuable or prone to theft (costume jewelry for example). A couple of years ago I did have TSA remove something, but they left a note telling me that and explained why. I was flying with 4 Polar Bags of frozen meats and on the advice of others had packed them with some dry ice. Didn't realize that wasn't allowed (my fault for not double checking), so they removed it (well 3 of the 4, they missed one). Look on the tsa website. You can have up to 5 lbs. of dry ice, so my guess is that the ice was in 5 lb increments and they let you keep the one?
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Post by mari on Aug 1, 2014 14:51:40 GMT
I've never had anything stolen out of checked luggage. I pack carefully (with packing cubes) and use this secure double-cable lock. My luggage has never been opened or tampered with.
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Post by gale w on Aug 13, 2014 20:44:58 GMT
We just got back from vacation and used zip ties. On the way out, none of our bags were opened. On the way back, 3 out of 4 were opened. NOT the one with our dirty laundry, naturally. What are the odds...
I don't think anything is missing.
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Post by leftturnonly on Aug 13, 2014 20:48:03 GMT
I have never had anything taken. Now I wonder if that is because I didn't have anything worth taking. That's pretty much been my policy - to always have such lame stuff that no one else would want it.
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Post by MonkeysInk on Aug 14, 2014 0:18:52 GMT
Six Zyrtec and three perfume (BPAL) samples. I carried just enough allergy meds in a little plastic container like BE eyeshadows come in, and then the three perfume samples were inside a tiny Ziploc. The plastic container was still in there with the lid screwed back on. It was weird.
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Post by mztfied on Aug 14, 2014 0:39:05 GMT
I have never lost a thing but the last two time I flew there was a tag in my suitcase that said it had been opened.
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Post by melanell on Aug 14, 2014 1:25:35 GMT
I have never had anything stolen, BUT, I never really leave anything of value in my luggage. So what are they going to steal, kwim?
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Post by Jennifer C on Aug 14, 2014 1:48:38 GMT
My Mom travels to central Mexico every summer. She says that she used to have something stolen out of her suitcase all the time. Now, never.
She said once, she flew into Mexico City and stayed overnight. Her suitcase was not tampered with. On her flight from Mexico City to her final destination, all of her underwear was stolen. She was so mad and shocked.
Jennifer
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Post by anniefb on Aug 14, 2014 1:48:46 GMT
Nothing. But I don't put anything valuable in checked luggage.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,349
Member is Online
Jun 29, 2014 18:58:47 GMT
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Post by scrapnnana on Aug 14, 2014 1:51:08 GMT
I have never had anything stolen, but I never put anything valuable in my checked bags. Yes, it is a hassle when you go through security, but better than the risk of damage, loss, or theft. Even if nothing is taken, sometimes luggage falls off a cart or the luggage is thrown. Or worse. I once had my flight delayed because a luggage cart somehow lost control and went flying into the fuselage of the airplane. It damaged the plane so bad that they had to switch us to a different plane. I kind of wondered what happened to the luggage on that cart. Thankfully, mine wasn't part of that accident, and I still made it home that night despite the delays.
The airlines used to post something on their websites telling passengers not to put anything valuable in a checked bag. I assume they still do.
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