A shocking and infuriating surveillance footage of two Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents allegedly stealing from passengers’ bags while in trays and awaiting their turn to pass through the x-ray machine screening area has gone viral on social media.
The video reportedly took place at the security area of the Miami International Airport.
In the video recording, two TSA agents were seen working in cahoots while unzipping bags that were most within their reach and then pocketing something before finally passing the tray containing the subject bags through the scanning or x-ray machine.
They were said to have stolen a total of $600 cash and other items. They were arrested and subsequently charged following an investigation of claims of theft that had occurred in the same part of the airport.
The two TSA security screeners were seen standing side by side in front of several trays when one of them was spotted stealthily running one of his hands inside the bag before him and then quickly taking and pocketing an item.
Not long enough, his colleague does the same to another bag and successfully takes out a wallet before pushing the tray into the x-ray, taking out a wad of cash, and then putting it in his pocket.
A news report said that theft being perpetrated by TSA employees is a recurring issue. At least 400 employees have been fired between 2003 and 2011 after being allegedly involved in such incidents. Here in the Philippines, several cases of theft have also occurred among TSA counterparts from the Office of Transportation Security or OTS, although there are still honest employees in the ranks of the OTS, from which I have many friends.
About six months ago, or on February 22, five personnel of the OTS assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 were suspended after two videos of them taking money from a transiting Thai tourist identified as Kitja Thabthim, went viral on social media.
The videos were taken at the security screening checkpoint and uploaded on Facebook by Piyawat Gunlayaprasit, also a Thai passenger, who was also departing at that time.
The first video showed an OTS personnel inserting something into the pocket of a colleague’s jacket. The second video showed Kitja asking the screening officer to return the 20,000 yen that was taken from him and the said OTS personnel handing back the money with a request for the video to be deleted.
Well apparently, the odd request was not granted as it went viral already.
On seeing the post, another Thai passenger, Saruta Jansila, reposted it and claimed to have had a similar experience on February 9.
In Thai, Jansila wrote how thankful she was that Kitja was able to get evidence, regretting that she failed to at least take photos.
Passing through the same security check area, Jansila said she had found out that 40,000 yen was missing. They demanded for a review of the CCTVs while OTS personnel talked to them, asking questions about their origin or destination and how they liked the Philippines.
Security personnel then asked her to recheck her wallet and found the missing money but in another location of the wallet already. .“Hey! Surprise, money moved to 4 front pockets,” Jansila wrote in her Facebook Page.
Days later, another screening officer was caught on video stealing a Chinese passenger’s watch at the NAIA.
Passenger Sun Yuhong complained that his watch was missing in his bag after he was screened by Valeriano Ricaplaza Jr., 31.
Ricaplaza was later nabbed by members of the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group.
Here’s some unsolicited advice for passengers. Never engage in conversations with screening personnel as this might be a modus operandi to distract you or take your attention away from your bags and valuables.
Once you have put your things on the tray, keep your eyes on them until such time that your tray has already safely entered the x-ray machine. Then, make sure that you are right at the exit point of the machine in time when your tray gets out.
In all such incidents of theft, it is notable that the involved security personnel inserted what they have stolen into their pockets.
This may necessitate the prohibition of pockets among OTS personnel to at least lessen the possibility of any of them being able to steal and then pass it on to another, just what happened in the case of Kitja.
I remember when maintenance personnel were disallowed from having pockets as part of the ‘no tipping policy’ enforced at the NAIA before and until now.
If maintenance personnel were required to discard pockets even in the face of tips being voluntarily given, along with ground handlers, more so in cases of those personnel who are faced with opportunities of getting involved in theft, right?
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