Jewelry stolen from carry on during screening/pat down

I recently returned from my 13-day vacation in Sarasota on 2/20/12 only to discover my precious jewelry was missing from my bag when I got home! It never left my side, other than going through security when I was pulled aside to be patted down, and then pulled aside again to have the sand tested in my other bag! I KNOW for a fact my precious Diamond/Gold Journey Necklace ($1200), my White Gold Diamond Loop earrings ($250) and my 18k Gold Mesh Bracelet ($600) were in my leather Satchel w/laptop, in the original 4"x4" Littman Jewelry Box when I left the hotel! :-( How do we stop these theives?? Better yet, how do we get over the fact that these people are in complete control of our lives and can take whatever they please from our baggage!! I am STILL mourning the loss of this jewelry, for BOTH the monetary value AND the sentimental value!!

 

Laurie, I'm sorry. Your story, unfortunately, is all too common, which is why we have been trying to get the word out about the TSA for years. I've added your story to my Master List:
http://www.travelunderground.org/index.php?threads/master-lists-of-tsa-abuses-crimes.317/

 

I hope you filed a formal complaint against TSA and a police report with the Sarasota PD...it may be too late to check, but there might be video of the thieving perps helping themselves to your jewelry. Good luck and please keep us posted.

 

Did you contact the airport directly to file a complaint? You can go through TSA to file a complaint here on this page: http://www.tsa.gov/contact/index.shtm

However, since there is such a high monetary value to the items, I would contact the local law enforcement responsible for the airport so they can obtain the video of that area and pursue this for you. James Carlino is the Chief of Police there, nd the contact info for him and the 24 hour phone contact info is listed here : http://www.usacops.com/fl/p34243srq/index.html

The quicker you contact them directly, the quicker you can get them to begin an investigation into the situation, and for the record, I would file with both the APD and TSA to give you a better chance to get them on the ball. Please let us know what comes of this.

 

Yeah, file a complaint with TSA and watch nothing happen.
Why would you contact an agency with known criminal activity? Bypass TSA.

Go directly to the police.

 

Laurie, definitely file a report with the police. And do so also with the TSA, just so you can say you did. They'll use it against it if you don't. Yes, it's usually pointless. But the TSA has indeed quietly been paying people hundreds of thousands of dollars in claims, both for theft and for unlawful detention and other abuses. See this article:
http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/TSA-receiving-fewer-theft-claims-rejecting-more-122846494.html

 

And your local "consumer advocate" television news station.

 

I'd add to contact the airline as well. I'd make it their problem too since they're complicit in this. If you paid for the ticket by credit card, flag the charge and demand the airline reimburse you. This is pretty effective if you used Amex.

While it isn't the airline's fault it might get them involved in the process.