Plane travel tip/be aware of your belongings

[texasroni75]

Just wanted to post about my recent experience at MCO. Just back from a 7 day trip to Disney world. During security screening process my shirt made the body scanner light up like a Christmas tree. It had small sparkles on it and whatever they were made of the scanner didn’t like. Not a big deal for me so much - just step aside and they screened me further (outside of shirt with back of hand whatever no big deal). The problem was that when this happened I saw out of the corner of my eye the woman in line ahead of me looking around To see if anyone was watching and then TAKING my TABLET from my bin!!! (My stuff had already gone through the X-ray machine but I couldn’t retrieve it because of the body scan issue). While I didn’t want to cause a ruckus, DH didn’t see her as he was going through the scanner himself at this point. I’m trying to decide what to do as I’m trying to listen to the instructions from the TSA agent but I’m panicking as she’s reaching for my purse next which has my phone money ID and everything. So I had to yell at her (while being patted down a few feet away) to put my things down. I said something like “ma’am those are MY things put them back.” She looked startled and then put my tablet back. And no she didn’t have a tablet like mine so it wasn’t just an honest mistake.

So basically I’m just reminding everyone to be extra aware of your stuff when going through security. People will try to steal even with security standing literally right next to them. Oh and maybe skip the shirt with sparkles so you don’t get “extra attention” from security.

 

[Dis703]

Wow, that was a close call. I always wonder how often people take the wrong belongings or forget some of their belongings in the rush to get to their gate. But with all the security cameras I would hope they could track down the culprit if something was stolen.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I have forgotten stuff (i.e. high speed film - so this was a long time ago) that was being hand inspected, but any time I needed additional screening, a TSA Agent pulled my bin off the belt.

 

[sndral]

I have forgotten stuff (i.e. high speed film - so this was a long time ago) that was being hand inspected, but any time I needed additional screening, a TSA Agent pulled my bin off the belt.

I wish they did that, but IME they do not. That is always my biggest issue with being pulled for a pat down, I always wait until the person in front of me clears the scan machine before I send my bins through the bins machine and then try to keep an eye on them as they emerge. My theory is some one could intentionally delay their time in the scanner while their buddy harvests lap tops and purses from the bins. https://www.tripsavvy.com/airport-scams-to-avoid-3259981
Plus the longer my items sit there unclaimed the higher the probability some low life with no morals will be tempted to steal it.
Of course, there’s also the issue of the TSA agents themselves stealing. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/new...ohnson-tsa-agent-arrested-20170623-story.html
I’m curious did the TSA people react at all when OP told the woman to leave her belongings alone?

 

[Super 27]

The amount of theft that goes on at security checkpoints, in the airport in general, and on airplanes is unbelievable. There have been numerous well-publicized instances of TSA agents themselves stealing from passengers at MCO. I've also heard of many cases of other passengers and even airport employees stealing at the checkpoints. Don't let your guard down on the plane either. I've personally seen an iPad snatched from the seatback pocket in front of a passenger on a plane while the passenger was asleep. On two occasions, I had someone attempt to steal my devices (once a Kindle and once a tablet) from the seatback pocket in front of me where I had set them down when they thought I wasn't looking or was in the lavatory.

So, bottom line, keep a VERY close eye on your stuff from the moment you arrive at the airport. Never let anything of value out of your sight. As someone else said, don't push your stuff through the TSA x-ray until it's your turn to go through the scanner. If you get pulled aside for secondary, ask them to have an officer pull your bag aside and set it where you can see it. Once you're on the plane, keep everything of value in your small bag under the seat in front of you. Even if you're asleep, someone isn't going to be able to get to it.

 

[DisTXMom]

It’s a bummer we have to worry about this. I put my wallet with cash pretty deep in my backpack for this reason. A casual inspection would not make it accessible to TSA or others.

 

[Bjkandma]

Thanks for posting this. I always wondered if anyone would steal someone's belongings. Thought it would be " impossible".

 

[sethschroeder]

The amount of theft that goes on at security checkpoints, in the airport in general, and on airplanes is unbelievable. There have been numerous well-publicized instances of TSA agents themselves stealing from passengers at MCO. I've also heard of many cases of other passengers and even airport employees stealing at the checkpoints. Don't let your guard down on the plane either. I've personally seen an iPad snatched from the seatback pocket in front of a passenger on a plane while the passenger was asleep. On two occasions, I had someone attempt to steal my devices (once a Kindle and once a tablet) from the seatback pocket in front of me where I had set them down when they thought I wasn't looking or was in the lavatory.

So, bottom line, keep a VERY close eye on your stuff from the moment you arrive at the airport. Never let anything of value out of your sight. As someone else said, don't push your stuff through the TSA x-ray until it's your turn to go through the scanner. If you get pulled aside for secondary, ask them to have an officer pull your bag aside and set it where you can see it. Once you're on the plane, keep everything of value in your small bag under the seat in front of you. Even if you're asleep, someone isn't going to be able to get to it.

I just want to say it's not all doom and gloom. The airport like any other busy location should be treated with caution for expensive and irreplaceable items.

I am not aware of numerous agents being caught stealing just a single one a couple years back.

If you are in a group it isn't a bad idea to send one person through without bags who can then wait and watch the items for everyone else.

Personally been lucky to not have anything stolen or know anyone who has something stolen while traveling extensively for work.

Fingers crossed everyone on here doesn't experience the OPs situation or worse (not even noticing).

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

If I actually saw someone going through my stuff like that I would immediately call attention to it. No hesitation.

Sorry OP that it happened to you but glad the story didn't end up with you saying it was actually stolen completely!

 

[sndral]

...
I am not aware of numerous agents being caught stealing just a single one a couple years back.
...

Well, it ranked #11 in the country for the 11 MCO TSA agents fired for theft back when ABC did this report, ironic that it was at MCO where the TSA agent stole ABC’s planted IPad referenced in the report.
https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/top-20-airports-tsa-theft/story?id=17537887

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

Just wanted to post about my recent experience at MCO. Just back from a 7 day trip to Disney world. During security screening process my shirt made the body scanner light up like a Christmas tree. It had small sparkles on it and whatever they were made of the scanner didn’t like. Not a big deal for me so much - just step aside and they screened me further (outside of shirt with back of hand whatever no big deal). The problem was that when this happened I saw out of the corner of my eye the woman in line ahead of me looking around To see if anyone was watching and then TAKING my TABLET from my bin!!! (My stuff had already gone through the X-ray machine but I couldn’t retrieve it because of the body scan issue). While I didn’t want to cause a ruckus, DH didn’t see her as he was going through the scanner himself at this point. I’m trying to decide what to do as I’m trying to listen to the instructions from the TSA agent but I’m panicking as she’s reaching for my purse next which has my phone money ID and everything. So I had to yell at her (while being patted down a few feet away) to put my things down. I said something like “ma’am those are MY things put them back.” She looked startled and then put my tablet back. And no she didn’t have a tablet like mine so it wasn’t just an honest mistake.

So basically I’m just reminding everyone to be extra aware of your stuff when going through security. People will try to steal even with security standing literally right next to them. Oh and maybe skip the shirt with sparkles so you don’t get “extra attention” from security.

There have been reports of this at London airports too. Even of people buying cheap airline tickets, with no intention of flying, just so that they can ‘pick pocket’ the security conveyor belt. Horrendous.

 

[texasroni75]

I’m curious did the TSA people react at all when OP told the woman to leave her belongings alone?

OP here. Nope the TSA agent didn’t care at all. Just kept telling me what to do where to stand etc and actually looked annoyed at me that I was paying attention to my belongings. I honestly felt like my alarm over the person picking up my tablet was interpreted as “suspicious behavior” by ME!

 

[texasroni75]

It’s a bummer we have to worry about this. I put my wallet with cash pretty deep in my backpack for this reason. A casual inspection would not make it accessible to TSA or others.

Putting things deep into backpack won’t help if the person just walks off with the whole bag while they are patting you down. . And they wouldn’t let me even put my ID and boarding pass into my pocket. It all had to be on the conveyer belt.

 

[robinb]

Well, it ranked #11 in the country for the 11 MCO TSA agents fired for theft back when ABC did this report, ironic that it was at MCO where the TSA agent stole ABC’s planted IPad referenced in the report.
https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/top-20-airports-tsa-theft/story?id=17537887

That report was nearly 7 years ago.

 

[kaytieeldr]

ironic that it was at MCO where the TSA agent stole ABC’s planted IPad referenced in the report.

Coincidental. Not ironic.

 

[sndral]

That report was nearly 7 years ago.

Yep, and the most recent incident at MCO was 2 years ago https://www.orlandosentinel.com/new...ohnson-tsa-agent-arrested-20170623-story.html

Coincidental. Not ironic.

The pp claimed there was one publicized incident of TSA theft at MCO, I found it ironic that in the article which delineated the actual numbers disproving the only 1 TSA theft at MCO claim, of the 10 airports that ABC tried their IPad sting, MCO was the only airport where the TSA agent actually stole it, thus upping the number of firings of TSA agents for theft at MCO to 12. Ironic also that it could have been any of the 10 airports tested (or none) but it happened at the very airport we were discussing. Also a bit surprising that it happened at all in only 10 tries - w/ 2.7 million people on average flying in the U.S. on any given day I don’t think 10% (270,000) are victims of TSA theft.
As a pp noted, travelers are easy targets particularly at airports where people are often sleep deprived, stressed, and dealing with a million out of their routine things. MCO’s TSA % of agent theft incidents is on par with how busy it is. In my mind I was not more or less likely to be a victim of theft last Dec. when I flew in/out of MCO compared to when I flew in/out of FCO last October.
IMO you are more likely to have your possessions stolen by a fellow passenger at an airport rather than by a rogue TSA agent, but it is distressing that in OP’s case when a fellow passenger started to steal her possessions the TSA agent ignored the issue.
The best defense is probably to not travel with anything you can’t replace, it’s just too easy to ‘forget’ or mislay something when traveling IME, in addition to the risk of having your possessions stolen.
Personally I’ve not been a victim of theft at an airport, but I did leave behind my then toddler son’s much loved stuffed figment at HNL on our way to Maui once.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Best to get a backpack that is TSA approved and does not require the removal of your tablet or laptop. You can put your purse in it too. That way they have no idea what is in the bag to provoke a possible theft. Not to mention all of the items you have to remove are all in one bag making it easier to grab your stuff and go. Better yet get TSA Pre Check and it will lesson the worry of having to remove your device for your bag. Our rule is whoever gets though the scanner first, collects all of our items from the belt.
There was a story a year or so ago about a person who had their electronic device stolen at MCO but it had a tracker on it. The police went to the home of a TSA agent and retrieved the device.

 

[jec6613]

And this is why I have trackers on all of my laptops and tablets.

 

[bumbershoot]

I have forgotten stuff (i.e. high speed film - so this was a long time ago) that was being hand inspected, but any time I needed additional screening, a TSA Agent pulled my bin off the belt.

Lucky. That rarely happens woth me. I skip the naked machine, so I’m well versed in extra checks, and it’s rare that they pull the bag. And they are often calling out asking whose bag it is, and I have to let them know.

At MCO once the agent kept me waiting for a female afent, before going through even the metal detector, for at least 5 minutes (felt like 15). The fact that he’d whispered for the “female assist” didn’t help him get an agent. He was waiting me out, wanting me to just go along with the other machine.

I was getting very anxious about my stuff, especially since the two agents roaming the line were screaming about how this is the real world and we needed to stay woth our belongings. The dude wouldn’t even look towards me.

Finally I got his attention, he gave in, he called out in a real voice for the female agen, she was there in a flash and all was well. But they certainly hadn’t taken my bags off the belt.

And they wouldn’t let me even put my ID and boarding pass into my pocket. It all had to be on the conveyer belt.

Why was your stuff in your hand at that point? Once you’re past the ID checkers put it away. Pocket should have been fine.

 

[cluvsdisney]

People suck and the agents should do a better job of keeping people with their possessions. DH has to get patted down...so they'll take him to the side and sometimes his stuff sits at the collection area for a few minutes. I am not allowed to take it to hold to the side so I just stand there watching it like a hawk.

I am glad you saw her and stopped her.