Watch your electronics when flying

This is a shocking story about a TSA agent who was stealing electronics from flyers at his airport screening queue.

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TSA Agent Caught With Passenger's iPad in His Pants; Allegedly Took $50,000 in Other Goods

While most Transportation Security Administration employees are busy groping people or taking naked pictures of them, the cops say one of those employees was putting fliers' electronics down his pants.

The Broward Sheriff's Office says 30-year-old Nelson Santiago stole around $50,000 worth of electronics over the past six months from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport's Terminal 1.

Santiago -- a TSA officer since 2009 -- was caught earlier this week by a Continental Airlines employee taking an iPad out of someone's luggage and stuffing it into his pants, the cops say.

After being arrested Monday on two counts of grand theft, police say Santiago admitted to stealing computers, GPS devices, video cameras, and other electronic merchandise from luggage he was supposed to be screening.

The cops say Santiago would immediately take pictures of his new goods and upload the photos online to sell the stuff.

Santiago would typically sell the stolen goods to people before his shift was even over, police say.

BSO detectives estimate that Santiago's haul totaled $50,000 over the past six months.

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full story at: http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2011/07/tsa_agent_nelson_santiago_ipad_grand_theft.php

we have those and other problems associated with TSA as well here , there really isn't much you can do especially when they work in packs. :( ( interpreted: I try to seperate as much of my digital luggage as possible , I carry-on the lenses while the camera's travel luggage , portable drives are seperate from laptops , etc. )

and to think I use to worry about my "luggage" being "lost". :(

- jim

We were flying out to California last year. We had our video cameras on our carry on's. (The carry ons met their requirements)... They tried confiscating two of our video cameras and their statement was "Invasion of privacy on an aircraft" with a statement of, "You could tape record while on the aircraft which would violate others rights without consent." After explaining to them we told them we're pornographers and that's why we have our video cameras. That escalated to a whole new level.
After demanding to speak with a supervisor and waiting for the supervisor to come we nearly missed our flight. Needless to say we ended up having the ability to take them on with us.

When we fly, we take our video cameras, digital cameras, laptops, and any other electronics as carry ons with us. Usually we travel in packs so we're able to have multiple carry ons.

You have to remember in today's age, you cannot trust anyone.

Wow I am surprised that happened to you. I mean they pretty much insist that you carry on those items for security, so I am surprised they would make a big fuss. Not to mention that pretty much EVERY passenger would likely have a camera in their phone as well.

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Originally Posted by HunkMoneyLuke

Wow I am surprised that happened to you. I mean they pretty much insist that you carry on those items for security, so I am surprised they would make a big fuss. Not to mention that pretty much EVERY passenger would likely have a camera in their phone as well.

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The guy was an obvious idiot. Not to mention in relation to the news article, this was at the Fort Lauderdale / Broward County International Airport.

Heading out for Russia today and have my camera packed in carry on as well.
It is large enough that I will notice if someone tries stuffing it down their pants.

When I place my small electronics in the bin it is all stuff that goes right back in my pocket so I'd notice if something were missing.

A few years ago a TSA guy in Phoenix opened my digital camera, took the cap off the body and proceeded to put his greasy finger on the mirror. I was so pissed off that I started raising my voice and calling him an idiot. Needless to say, he didn't appreciate it and a supervisor was there almost immediately. Not by me asking. When I informed the supervisor what had happened he dismissed the agent, apologized, and gave me a card with a number I could call to get reimbursed for any damages to the camera. Frankly, I was shocked that the supervisor was so nice and equally that the original agent didn't have sense enough not to stick his finger into an (obviously) delicate piece of electronic equipment.

For as much as I travel, there have only been a handful of TSA run ins. Most of them just want to get you through the line as fast as possible and are generally polite and professional. The people that piss me off more are the infrequent travelers that don't read the signs and are not prepared to go through security. I guess there is no exclusiveness on stupid.

Interesting story, Paul. And I have to agree, from my travels TSA agents are almost always helpful and friendly...those agents in Canada, however, are a different story! Seems every time I enter into Canada I get the 3rd degree questioning.

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Seems every time I enter into Canada I get the 3rd degree questioning.

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Wait tell you go to Israel. :)

I also had an incident recently in Thailand where I lost my favorite jacket. I was coming in from Japan, when I went to fill out one of the immigration forms on the counter. I had set my jacket on the desk in front of me while I was filling out the form. Suddenly an immigration officer came up to me from behind out of nowhere, and started asking me questions; how long am I in Thailand, did I need any help on the form, what was my work, etc. I didn't think anything of it and thought he was just being friendly (a bit too friendly, even). He finally smiled and walked away, and when I turned around to finish my form and grab my jacket, the jacket was gone!

I found the same Officer and told him what happened, half thinking he was in on it. His response was to blame it on the Chinese and told me that there were Chinese people coming in and they steal stuff all the time...lol. I'm still not certain if what he said was true and someone else just snatched the jacket while I was talking (although you'd think he'd have seen them do it since he was facing the direction the culprit would have been, taking the jacket), or if it was a 'team effort' by him and another security agent to distract me and then steal the jacket.

In any case, you have to be extremely careful when travelling; keep an eye on your belongings at ALL times. Don't ever get into taxis if they don't have meters. Don't ever follow some guy that walks up to you and makes offers to take you somewhere. And make sure you research heavily what to do when you arrive in a new country, what the cab fare costs, and that you know where you are going.

I love flying in Japan... you can bring liquids on board, you don't have to show ID, you can use your phone to show your barcode when you board (no boarding pass required). And in their culture, theft is really rare.

Flying to Canada soon, not looking forward to flights within North America :(