Beware of thieves at screening points
Just a little story of how low people can go and how hard it is to catch offenders with the best of evidence..
I was going through the departures screening point at YPPH a short time ago and I removed all my metals, including my wedding band, and placed them on the tray for xray, Went through with no problem, then at the other side started putting myself back together. The Lady on the machine asked about aerosols in my bag, then the missus distracted me further. We then moved up to the lounge, where pretty quickly I realised my wedding band wasn't on and I raced downstairs to the screening point and asked the guards to check the trays and I started looking as well. They didn't seem too concerned and said I must have dropped it or left it in my bag. I responded that I was sure I didn't put it back on after xray and it is in one of the trays. No luck there so I got the staff to make an announcement over PA and then had to board my flight with a very unhappy start to our holiday.
The next day I rang airport lost and found and got no joy but the lady gave me the number of security manager. Got his voicemail and then tried security direct with no help or luck. The security manager rang back later and proved to be a very capable, motivated person. He looked up the footage from the screening point and got very good footage of a person reaching into my tray and putting my wedding band in his pocket then happily walking past me and my wife with his own girlfriend. The manager burnt the footage and told me to make a police report and he would hand it over and also alert the Feds to give a hand to WAPOL.
On my return to YPPH I made the report to an unmotivated proby connie who told me to check out the local pawn shops as most of the stolen goods end up there ( nice to know ). 2 weeks went by with no news so I thought I'd check up on the case to discover nothing had happened and they felt the case was closed as they couldn't ID the offender from the footage of him checking in, boarding etc.
So at the most secure point in an airport/country, someone can steal from you, have their actions recorded, their picture taken, their ID checked at check in, and get away with it? The manager told me it happens about weekly. Keep an eye on your gear at these points and don't assume you're safe anywhere in an airport. Security is a joke. And to the dog that took my ring, please one day may I meet you so I can show you my appreciation at your wonderful morals.
Oh and before anyone explains that you don't need to remove your ring, understand it was the first thing my wife said to me which made me feel sooo much better.
Last edited by Whiskey Oscar Golf; 6th Jul 2009 at 05:55.