furie
05-07-2003, 09:28 AM
This was mailed to me, I don't have a link
Here is a copy of the story on the WABC TV web site:
Exclusive: Think Airport Security's Improved? This Will Make You Watch Your Belongings Closely!
By Eyewitness News' Cheryl Fiandaca
(New York-WABC, May 6, 2003) - This Eyewitness News exclusive report will make you think twice the next time you pass through an airport security check. Eyewitness News has learned that federally trained screeners are allegedly stealing from passengers, and many of them have criminal records. Cheryl Fiandaca uncovered the story and has more for us.
The whole idea was that they would be better trained, better paid and their backgrounds more thoroughly checked. But it turns out many of the newly hired airport screeners got on the job without a complete background check. Some have turned out to have criminal records, and even been arrested for committing crimes while on the job.
They were hired to improve security in the wake of September 11th, but some may have done exactly the opposite.
Saba Mulazam, Daughter of Airline Passenger: "When she got there the money was missing, only $2,000 was there the other money was missing."
Robina Kausar doesn't speak much English, but her daughter does and both of them know when they've been taken. Last march Kausar filed a police report with the Port Authority accusing a federal Transportation Security Administration screener at Kennedy airport of stealing $6,000 dollars from her when she was on her way to Pakistan. Gus Denese is the president of the Port Authority police union. This story doesn't surprise him,
Gus Danese, PAPD Union President: "You're not in sight of where your wallet is, or pocketbook or bags. If they're good.. they'll do you , they'll do you in a heartbeat."
Here's how the police say the scam often works. While you're going through security and distracted, you're separated from your property and that's when you're vunerable.
Danese: "There's a lot of money to be made with this act."
And apparently plenty of them are making it. So far, law enforcement sources say there have been several arrests of TSA screeners for grand larceny and more than 300 complaints at Kennedy airport alone accusing the new agents of various crimes involving property. Over the past several months the federal employees have been accused of stealing cash, jewelry and computers from passengers at all three local airports. And since the Port Authority started investigating the backgrounds of the new screeners, sources say more than 50 of those already hired and working at JFK Airport have turned out to have criminal records. And that's not all.
The NYPD has had some problems with the new screeners as well. Police in the city have arrested TSA screeners for a variety of offenses since they've been on the job doing security at the airport: At least one for possession of drugs and another for possession of a Mach Ten machine gun.
Mark Hatfield, TSA Northeast Regional Spokesperson: "It's unfair to impugn the integrity and the reputation of the rest of these hard working men and women based on a few bad apples."
Hatfield claims background checks have been thorough, although he admits some background checks of screeners on the job are not complete.
Hatfield: "We are through with the majority of those on a national basis, but we have some that are still pending. It's a very lengthy process."
In Kausar's case, police arrested a TSA screener for grand larceny, but her money was never recovered.
The TSA admits about two dozen people hired as screeners have been dismissed after background checks revealed criminal records.
This story is completely accurate from ABC standpoint. TSA is lying. 12 dozen dismissed? please. Hundreds is more like it. The problem is, instead of going through the slow but necessary hiring process that every other government employee goes through, TSA hired an outside company that skipped steps ti get the job done faster.
On the upside, this is all old news. This all happened month
Here is a copy of the story on the WABC TV web site:
Exclusive: Think Airport Security's Improved? This Will Make You Watch Your Belongings Closely!
By Eyewitness News' Cheryl Fiandaca
(New York-WABC, May 6, 2003) - This Eyewitness News exclusive report will make you think twice the next time you pass through an airport security check. Eyewitness News has learned that federally trained screeners are allegedly stealing from passengers, and many of them have criminal records. Cheryl Fiandaca uncovered the story and has more for us.
The whole idea was that they would be better trained, better paid and their backgrounds more thoroughly checked. But it turns out many of the newly hired airport screeners got on the job without a complete background check. Some have turned out to have criminal records, and even been arrested for committing crimes while on the job.
They were hired to improve security in the wake of September 11th, but some may have done exactly the opposite.
Saba Mulazam, Daughter of Airline Passenger: "When she got there the money was missing, only $2,000 was there the other money was missing."
Robina Kausar doesn't speak much English, but her daughter does and both of them know when they've been taken. Last march Kausar filed a police report with the Port Authority accusing a federal Transportation Security Administration screener at Kennedy airport of stealing $6,000 dollars from her when she was on her way to Pakistan. Gus Denese is the president of the Port Authority police union. This story doesn't surprise him,
Gus Danese, PAPD Union President: "You're not in sight of where your wallet is, or pocketbook or bags. If they're good.. they'll do you , they'll do you in a heartbeat."
Here's how the police say the scam often works. While you're going through security and distracted, you're separated from your property and that's when you're vunerable.
Danese: "There's a lot of money to be made with this act."
And apparently plenty of them are making it. So far, law enforcement sources say there have been several arrests of TSA screeners for grand larceny and more than 300 complaints at Kennedy airport alone accusing the new agents of various crimes involving property. Over the past several months the federal employees have been accused of stealing cash, jewelry and computers from passengers at all three local airports. And since the Port Authority started investigating the backgrounds of the new screeners, sources say more than 50 of those already hired and working at JFK Airport have turned out to have criminal records. And that's not all.
The NYPD has had some problems with the new screeners as well. Police in the city have arrested TSA screeners for a variety of offenses since they've been on the job doing security at the airport: At least one for possession of drugs and another for possession of a Mach Ten machine gun.
Mark Hatfield, TSA Northeast Regional Spokesperson: "It's unfair to impugn the integrity and the reputation of the rest of these hard working men and women based on a few bad apples."
Hatfield claims background checks have been thorough, although he admits some background checks of screeners on the job are not complete.
Hatfield: "We are through with the majority of those on a national basis, but we have some that are still pending. It's a very lengthy process."
In Kausar's case, police arrested a TSA screener for grand larceny, but her money was never recovered.
The TSA admits about two dozen people hired as screeners have been dismissed after background checks revealed criminal records.
This story is completely accurate from ABC standpoint. TSA is lying. 12 dozen dismissed? please. Hundreds is more like it. The problem is, instead of going through the slow but necessary hiring process that every other government employee goes through, TSA hired an outside company that skipped steps ti get the job done faster.
On the upside, this is all old news. This all happened month