Editing Transportation Security Administration (section)

=== Baggage theft ===
[[File:Tsa notice of baggage inspection.jpg|thumb|150px|Notice of Baggage Inspection]]
The TSA has been criticized for an increase in baggage theft after its inception.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/articles/5984|title=Stop Press: Case Closed?|author=William J. McGee|date=January 2005|work=[[Condé Nast Traveler]]|access-date=February 19, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110825034105/http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/articles/5984|archive-date=August 25, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> Reported thefts include both valuable and [[dangerous goods]], such as laptops, jewelry,<ref name="exposed">{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tsa-baggage-screeners-exposed/|title=TSA Baggage Screeners Exposed|date=September 13, 2004|access-date=August 2, 2008|publisher=[[CBS Evening News]]}}</ref> guns,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/national/BO25420/|title=Guns stolen from O'Hare Airport police|date=August 16, 2006|work=[[WHDH-TV]]|access-date=February 18, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718035328/http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/national/BO25420/|archive-date=July 18, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> and knives.<ref name="pleadguilty">{{cite news|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/3-ex-TSA-workers-plead-guilty-to-theft-1183643.php|title=3 ex-TSA workers plead guilty to theft|date=September 24, 2005|access-date=August 2, 2008|newspaper=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]}}</ref> Such thefts have raised concerns that the same access might allow bombs to be placed aboard aircraft.<ref name="AirportInsecurity">{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/1095349001.html?dids=1095349001%3A1095349001&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS%3AFT&type=current&date=Aug+15%2C+2006&author=Chicago+Tribune&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Airport+insecurity+%3B+Several+guns+have+been+stolen+from+baggage+at+O%27Hare&pqatl=google|title=Airport insecurity; Several guns have been stolen from baggage at O'Hare|date=Aug 15, 2006|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|access-date=April 11, 2011|quote=In addition, the apparent ease with which employees have opened checked baggage already screened for explosives raises concerns that a bomb could be planted ......|archive-date=May 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504124903/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/1095349001.html?dids=1095349001%3A1095349001&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS%3AFT&type=current&date=Aug+15%2C+2006&author=Chicago+Tribune&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Airport+insecurity+%3B+Several+guns+have+been+stolen+from+baggage+at+O%27Hare&pqatl=google|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2004, over 17,000 claims of baggage theft were reported.<ref name="exposed" /> As of 2004, 60 screeners had been arrested for baggage theft,<ref name=exposed/> a number which had grown to 200 screeners by 2008.<ref name="tipsswipe">{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/24187702|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130305111251/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/24187702|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 5, 2013|title=Tips to ensure the TSA doesn't swipe your stuff|last=Elliott|first=Christopher|date=April 21, 2008|access-date=August 2, 2008|publisher=[[NBC News]]}}</ref> 11,700 theft and damage claims were reported to the TSA in 2009, a drop from 26,500 in 2004, which was attributed to the installation of cameras and conveyor belts in airports.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/03/18/US-reports-big-drop-in-baggage-claims/UPI-50861268922239/#ixzz1EN4D23HM|title=U.S. reports big drop in baggage claims|date=March 18, 2010|work=[[UPI]]|access-date=February 19, 2011}}</ref> A total of 25,016 thefts were reported over the five-year period from 2010 to 2014.<ref name="hidden">{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/13/us/airport-luggage-theft/|title=Hidden cameras show airport workers stealing from bags - CNN.com|last=Zamost|first=Scott|date=April 13, 2015|work=[[CNN]]|access-date=April 14, 2015|author2=Drew Griffin|author3=Curt Devine}}</ref>

{{As of|2011}}, the TSA employed about 60,000 screeners in total (counting both baggage and passenger screening)<ref>{{cite news|url=http://atwonline.com/international-aviation-regulation/news/tsa-sets-framework-airport-screeners-collectively-bargain-020|title=TSA sets 'framework' for airport screeners to collectively bargain|last=Karp|first=Aaron|date=February 7, 2010|work=[[Air Transport World]]|access-date=February 19, 2011}}</ref> and approximately 500 TSA agents had been fired or suspended for stealing from passenger luggage since the agency's creation in November 2001. The airports with the most reported thefts from 2010 to 2014 were [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]], followed by [[Los Angeles International Airport]] and [[Orlando International Airport]].<ref name="hidden" />

In 2008, an investigative report by [[WTAE-TV|WTAE]] in Pittsburgh discovered that despite over 400 reports of baggage theft, about half of which the TSA reimbursed passengers for, not a single arrest had been made.<ref name="wtae">{{cite news|url=http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/4530735/detail.html|title=Team 4: Airport Baggage Theft Claims|last=Parsons|first=Jim|date=May 25, 2005|access-date=August 2, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080616070943/http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/4530735/detail.html|archive-date=June 16, 2008|url-status=dead|publisher=[[WTAE-TV]]|location=Pittsburgh}}</ref> The TSA does not, as a matter of policy, share baggage theft reports with local police departments.<ref name=wtae/>

In September 2012, ABC News interviewed former TSA agent Pythias Brown, who admitted to stealing more than $800,000 worth of items during his employment with the agency. Brown stated that it was "very convenient to steal", and that poor morale within the agency led agents to steal from passengers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/convicted-tsa-officer-reveals-secrets-thefts-airports/story?id=17339513&page=2#.UGZq3lHGjs0|title=Convicted TSA Officer Reveals Secrets of Thefts at Airports|date=September 28, 2012|work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]}}</ref>

In September 2023, NBC Miami ran a story regarding 3 TSA employees who were arrested for grand theft after being filmed on security cameras stealing cash, and goods from handbags.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Guirola|first=Jamie |date=2023-09-12 |title=New surveillance footage shows Miami TSA officers accused of stealing from passengers |url=https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/new-surveillance-footage-shows-miami-tsa-officers-accused-of-stealing-from-passengers/3109762/ |access-date=2023-10-02 |work=[[NBC 6 South Florida]] |language=en-US |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20231011214829/https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/new-surveillance-footage-shows-miami-tsa-officers-accused-of-stealing-from-passengers/3109762/ |archivedate=2023-10-11}}</ref>

The TSA has also been criticized for not responding properly to theft and failing to reimburse passengers for stolen goods. For example, between 2011 and 2012, passengers at [[Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport]] reported $300,000 in property lost or damaged by the TSA. The agency only reimbursed $35,000 of those claims.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/hundreds-complaints-filed-tsa-over-lost-items-hart/nWHZ4/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208054723/http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/hundreds-complaints-filed-tsa-over-lost-items-hart/nWHZ4/|url-status=dead|title=Hundreds of complaints filed with TSA over lost items at Hartfield|archive-date=February 8, 2013}}</ref> Similar statistics were found at Jacksonville International Airport – passengers reported $22,000 worth of goods missing or damaged over the course of 15 months. The TSA only reimbursed $800 total of this amount.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.actionnewsjax.com/mostpopular/story/Passengers-lose-thousands-at-JIA/Iy2f9vU5gUq4chBdPovfmQ.cspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130211082350/http://www.actionnewsjax.com/mostpopular/story/Passengers-lose-thousands-at-JIA/Iy2f9vU5gUq4chBdPovfmQ.cspx|url-status=dead|title=Passengers lose thousands at JIA|archive-date=February 11, 2013}}</ref>