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Now, there are always stories of airport baggage handlers and screeners stealing things from baggage. But this latest story to come out of JFK Airport, where a federal baggage screener was found to have taken $80,000 in cash from a man's luggage is very striking. First of all, who the hell checks in $80,000 cash? It's totally carry-on! Apparently the passenger, a gift shop owner on his way to Pakistan, noticed that eight hundred $100 bills were missing when we arrived there. It seems that Frank Ulerio Jr. took the money when the passenger's cousin put the bags in a "secured screening area" as the passenger was saying good-bye to his family, and we guess the bags were screened and checked there? That's confusing. Ulerio said he stole the money to pay off a gambling debt. The Transportatino Security Adminstration says that they have a "zero-tolerance policy for theft in the workplace" but there doesn't seem to be much monitoring, as we've had objects taken from our international check-in luggage and know of other instances. Still, we're not dumb enough to check $80,000 in cash.
Don't Check Your Valuables!
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I ride the Airtrain at Kennedy everyday and notice things most people don't. Do you know how many times I've seen baggage handlers/airline employees/TSA riding the train, showing off their new camcorder/digital camera/cellphone off to their buddies? Others, play with their ill-gotten goodies, as if they are trying to figure out how to get it to work. Oh, there's also the conversation between some TSA workers how one guy keeps all the lighters/pocket knives etc. that he confiscates. When I fly, I just assume something will be stolen. Kennedy is no different.
Unfortunate and reprehensible as it may be, you should assume your bags will be rifled through for valuables when you check them.
Once we checked a locked suitcase, had it x-rayed and stickered as clean, only to find the lock broken on arrival. No note, this was due to an unofficial search.
That's also why people in the second/third world have their entire suitcase shrink-wrapped before they check it.
i dunno about you guys, but my dad always tells me to put half of my cash in my check-in luggage every time i travel with a large amount of money. i guess the pakistani guy's reasoning was that he didn't want to carry around $80,000 in case he got mugged on the plane... or something.
Not only duh-umb, but illegal. You're not allowed to take that much cash out of the country.
Not only duh-umb, but illegal. You're not allowed to take that much cash out of the country.
I had a digital camera stolen from a bag I checked on JetBlue. I had just bought it before my trip, so it was in the box with all the manuals and CDs and cables and stuff. I took my bag off the carousel RIGHT when it came off, and there were no TSA stickers/tape on the bag. The box and manuals were in the bag. The camera and cables were gone. I called JetBlue and they said that since there were no TSA stickers on the bag, they're not responsible. Oh yeah, the jerks who stole my camera also stole my Rock and Republic jeans and a MAC eyeshadow. Who knew TSA employees were so fashion forward?
So the moral of the story is to check in only ugly clothing and drugstore makeup. NOTHING else.
Last Christmas, my boyfriend at the time had a WRAPPED gift in his check-in bag for me from his parents...an antique silver spoon from Tiffany's that was found at an antique shop in Ohio. Sadly, the spoon never made it home. What a waste, the thief probably wouldn't have appreciated it as much as me! Sigh.
There is no limit on the total amount of cash that can be taken out of the country. However, if you are taking more than $10,000 you have to fill smthg out with U.S. Customs.
The bank system in Pakistan is terrible. You have a better chance of stuffing the cash inot a suitcase than wiring it. My family lost over $200k on a wire transfer between Citibank and the National Bank of Pakistan.
Aside from the obviously illegal pilfering of cash from suitcases, the confiscation of large amounts of cash from individuals is completely legal thanks to the War on Drugs. If security personnel or law enforcement find you carrying a significant amount of cash on you; they're entitled to confiscate it upon suspicion of drug trafficking. It's then a citizen's responsibility to petition the government and positively prove the money wasn't drug related (presumption of guilt) before it will be returned. This obviously takes years and thousands of dollars in legal fees. Frankly, I'd rather let a baggage handler pay off his debts.
I've told everyone this for years...the only thing TSA did was re-hire all the same people that worked as airline screeners before 9-11. That's right...all those same people who talk on their cell-phones and only make cursory glances at the x-ray monitors every few minutes...except for now, they have a nice comfortable federal government job. Big pay raise...same exact job. Out of five friends who flew to visit me in NYC during the last three years, four of them had cameras or other items stolen out of their checked baggage when they departed from LGA. It makes me sick...not to mention scared. If the screeners are more concerned with finding cameras to steal than they are finding bombs and weapons...well, like I said that is scary.
I've told everyone this for years...the only thing TSA did was re-hire all the same people that worked as airline screeners before 9-11. That's right...all those same people who talk on their cell-phones and only make cursory glances at the x-ray monitors every few minutes...except for now, they have a nice comfortable federal government job. Big pay raise...same exact job. Out of five friends who flew to visit me in NYC during the last three years, four of them had cameras or other items stolen out of their checked baggage when they departed from LGA. It makes me sick...not to mention scared. If the screeners are more concerned with finding cameras to steal than they are finding bombs and weapons...well, like I said that is scary.
I've told everyone this for years...the only thing TSA did was re-hire all the same people that worked as airline screeners before 9-11. That's right...all those same people who talk on their cell-phones and only make cursory glances at the x-ray monitors every few minutes...except for now, they have a nice comfortable federal government job. Big pay raise...same exact job. Out of five friends who flew to visit me in NYC during the last three years, four of them had cameras or other items stolen out of their checked baggage when they departed from LGA. It makes me sick...not to mention scared. If the screeners are more concerned with finding cameras to steal than they are finding bombs and weapons...well, like I said that is scary.
I've told everyone this for years...the only thing TSA did was re-hire all the same people that worked as airline screeners before 9-11. That's right...all those same people who talk on their cell-phones and only make cursory glances at the x-ray monitors every few minutes...except for now, they have a nice comfortable federal government job. Big pay raise...same exact job. Out of five friends who flew to visit me in NYC during the last three years, four of them had cameras or other items stolen out of their checked baggage when they departed from LGA. It makes me sick...not to mention scared. If the screeners are more concerned with finding cameras to steal than they are finding bombs and weapons...well, like I said that is scary.
I've told everyone this for years...the only thing TSA did was re-hire all the same people that worked as airline screeners before 9-11. That's right...all those same people who talk on their cell-phones and only make cursory glances at the x-ray monitors every few minutes...except for now, they have a nice comfortable federal government job. Big pay raise...same exact job. Out of five friends who flew to visit me in NYC during the last three years, four of them had cameras or other items stolen out of their checked baggage when they departed from LGA. It makes me sick...not to mention scared. If the screeners are more concerned with finding cameras to steal than they are finding bombs and weapons...well, like I said that is scary.