“We passengers get screened, so perhaps it is time to start screening TSA staff when they enter and leave the airport?”

Well Said!

What does this guy look like? Damn it.

What does this 200,000 thief look like?

Back in August I was just about to leave my house for a flight from Newark Airport to LAX and upon lifting my camera bag I decided I just couldn’t handle the weight this time because my back giving me problems. So I quickly opened my son’s bag and stuffed one lens in each of his sneaker and buried them deep in his suitcase. We checked our bags curbside and were at the airport 1 1/2 hours before the flight. We arrived in LA and only my bag came off the conveyor. I reported to Continental and was told the second bag was arriving on the next flight. 22 hours later the bag was delivered to my sisters home. Upon opening the bag I found the sneakers right on top and empty of the lenses. I immediately contacted Continental to file a claim and Continental also suggested I contact TSA. I did both, copied serial numbers, receipts, baggage claim tickets, flight tickets and sent everything off to the two agencies. I must say that TSA was the most efficient in contacting me all along the way whereas Continental either didn’t respond or if I tracked a rep down they were quite short, bordering on nasty. Ultimately both denied my claims (it took about 8 weeks). It was quite apparent that they were blaming one another, neither admitting any responcibility. I believe it was Continental’s denial letter on the last line said that I should file with my homeowners and TSA essentially suggested if I’m unhappy I should take them to court. I was just about to file with New Jersey Man homeowners when 2 days ago my co-worker asked if I had seen the news about the TSA screener @ Newark. I quickly printed every news article I could find to build up my ammunition. I finally got through to a TSA agent and told her that I believed my lenses were part of the seizure. She put me on hold for quite awhile, came back on and gave me instructions to FAX TSA with big letters RECONSIDERATION and the control # on my claim. To back up for a moment, when all of this had initially happened I was contacted by a Homeland Security Agent on my home phone. (He was the one who told me that there was an ongoing investigation at Terminal C at Newark Airport.) I emailed and retrived the phone message yesterday and called only to find out the number had been dissconnected. Arriving home last night I found a message from him to call today, which I did. He told me that my lenses were not part of the recovery but that he had NO DOUBT my equipment was stolen by this screener and had been sold. He also said this investigation had been going on since March and that he was finally caught because someone who had a camera stolen early in the summer had gone onto Ebay to buy another. He purchased this Nikon and when he received it it still had his memory card with his photos on it! Then TSA bought a Hasselblad on Ebay (47,000 worth), from the same seller, being the highest bidder. The rest we all know pretty much. So right now I will submit for reconsideration and my “friend” at Homeland has given me some pointers on resubmitting my claim and he seems to think I may have some compensation coming. So I thank you for making this information and blogs available.
Janet
I let you know what eventually happens.