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TSA new Low

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wahoo250

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Feb 10, 2004
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off another thread

TSA agent steals $200K worth of gear, resells it on eBay
Tue Oct 14, 2008 6:43PM EDT

The TSA reached a mind-boggling new low in customer service this week when it was revealed that one agent had single-handedly absconded with over $200,000 worth of travelers' belongings, primarily cameras and laptops, and proceeded to unload his booty on eBay. His latest haul: A near-$50,000 camera that an HBO employee had been traveling with.

The culprit is one Pythias Brown, a New Jersey resident who worked in the TSA department at Newark Liberty Airport. Finally busted, police discovered an inventory of 66 cameras, 31 laptops, assorted jewelry, and more when they searched his home. How'd he finally get caught? Brown snagged a camera belonging to CNN, and they found it for sale on eBay, where Brown had been converting the gear into cash.

Brown's been doing a great job of it too, with a near-perfect feedback rating on eBay.

Of note: Brown appears to have been taking items from checked luggage in the back rooms of the airport, not carry-ons. (One has to imagine you'd notice your $50,000 camera was missing after it came off the x-ray line.) But since consumers are no longer allowed to lock their luggage (or, at least, the TSA is allowed to break those locks as it sees fit), travelers have no real means of protection when it comes to guarding against inside job thievery like this.

What do you do if you need to get something expensive from point A to point B but can't carry it on the plane? Advance shipping through FedEx and the like seems like the only real solution: At least with shipping carriers you can insure the package against damage and theft. But sadly, your contract with the airlines absolves them of virtually all liability when things like this happen.

Another good reason to ship instead of check a bag? Given that airlines now charge up to a whopping $250 for a checked bag, it may now actually be cheaper to have FedEx pick up your stuff at your house and drop it at your destination. How's that for progress?
 
New low? They've been stealing millions+ from the taxpayers since their inception! $200k is nothing.....

Thats true, but how does one walk away with all that equiptment and not get caught at the airport? It takes a lot of shampoo bottles to equal what this guy walked with
 
You think that's bad, how about those idiots not having to go through security lines. Nope, those morons don't need to since they got those shiny badges and it would be such a hassle to remove them. But we still have to take everything off. Who were those towel heads after on 9/11 again? Was it those TSA idiots, hmm, maybe the flight crews? I don't know, I'm not smart enough to see their bullsh!t.
 
I wonder if when I go thru ATL next week if I ask "steal anything from checked luggage today" if I'll get a comment or a reply...

Kinda like when I asked in SBN if they had been playing monkey bars on the airplanes...

I HATE the TSA....
 
I bet you'll get a reply.... in the form of an eyeful of pepper spray and a taser to the side of the neck.

Pray that the TSA never gives these idiots actual firearms.
 

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