Theft Warning for those Flying through MIA Airport to south Florida.

[mike_s]

Just a warning for anyone flying to the Keys or south Florida through Miami International. I'd heard from several people that there was a problem
with airport employees in Miami stealing stuff out of bags. Well, apparantly
these stories were true. Here's what happened:


We just got back from a wonderful week on vacation and some GREAT diving in the Keys. Flew back from Miami (MIA) where somewhere on that flight, some airport employee "tossed" one of my bags that wasn't locked with a TSA travel sentry lock.

I didn't notice it until I got home today but as soon as I opened my bag (hanging bag), I noticed that all the internal pockets zippers were all open. Then I noticed that all the clothes were "tossed" like they'd been flipped upside down, etc.
Also my new Hawaiian style silk shirt was gone/stolen.

At first I thought that TSA went through the bag, but they are usually better at not "trashing" the suitcase/bag and always close it back up right and they also
leave one of those little notices in your bag that they searched it.

Well not this time. This was most likely a Miami airport employee
(who has my newly stolen shirt).

Luckily I sent my dive gear back with a friend who had driven down
and they didn't get a chance to steal anything out of my dive bag.


As a note, we had two other bags that had the TSA Travel Sentry
locks on them and nothing was stolen from them.


So... hope this thread helps those who might be traveling there soon
so that they don't get anything stolen. I'd definately go buy those
TSA Travel Sentry locks to protect your belongings.


Has anyone else had this problem in Miami or other locations?

-Mike

 

[BigJetDriver]

Mike,

Thanks for posting your warning! Of course any airport, and any airline can have the occasional problem with a bad employee (or sometimes a group of them). Nice to know the TSA locks are working for you!

 

[jagfish]

Where can you get these locks?

 

[Wildcard]

Yes, where?

 

[mccabejc]

Just about any department store, etc. Got mine at Wal Mart I think. Or Target.

 

[Hoosier]

Occational problem? LOL~~~
There are a lot of missing/stolen for many international travelers. They know that it is hard to claim in English. I am not surprised at the news that two TSA employees were arrested in Florida a year ago.

 

[TruckDiver]

Where can you get these locks?

Here's where I got mine............
http://www.ebags.com/travel_accessories/travel_locks/category_search/index.cfm?N=4001+20014798

 

[johntt1986]

You could probaly buy them at a store that sells luggage, bags, and etc or a store in the airport

 

[mike_s]

A co-worker and fellow scubaboard member told me that he got his from EBags.com also.

I've heard that you can get them from Walmart, Staples, Office Depot, Target, etc, but I've never seen them there. I bought mine from Brookstone, but just because
I "knew" that they would have them and I needed them that day and didn't
have time to go from store to store getting them. I'm sure they are cheaper
at Walmart, etc. BTW... they are $20 bucks for two of them at Brookstone.

For those who don't know what these are, the TSA Travel Sentry locks are
locks that are TSA approved and won't get cut off by TSA workers at
the airports. The TSA has a "master key" that can get into the lock
to inspect your bags and they will then lock your bag back, to protect
it from theft from other airport workers, etc.

After this experience with airport theft, I'll be buying a couple
more sets of these locks to secure extra bags and side zipper
pockets. Also all the more reason to carry on certain items
such as regulators, dive computers, and dive cameras.

-mike

 

[BurBunny]

There are also "sentry" style TSA locks which have an indicator on them to show if they've been opened. Since you're supposed to make theft claims before you leave the airport, makes it much easier to tell if you need to open your bag to ensure everything is there. Magellans sells them, as do many other sources.