Ex-TSA Agent Had Numerous Cameras for Sale on eBay When He Was Arrested

PETAPIXEL ^ | Oct.09, 2012 | PETAPIXEL

[SWAMPSNIPER]

A number of years ago, a TSA agent named Pythias Brown accidentally left a camera out of some luggage he was screening. Not wanting to be reprimanded for his mistake, he decided to avoid any problems by secretly taking the camera home. This event opened his eyes to how easy it was to pocket passengers’ belongings, and he began to steal more and more items in increasingly brazen thefts. After stealing over $800,000 worth of items from passenger bags over a four-year period, he was finally caught when he tried to auction off an easily identifiable camera belonging by a CNN producer, becoming one of the 381 TSA officers fired for theft since 2003.

[unixfox]

And we are surprised at this because...

[muir_redwoods]

TSA; Too dumb for SEIU

[ladyjane]

381 TSA fired for theft. That means there are at least 3810 who haven’t been caught.

[sirchtruth]

Pythias Brown

NOUN: Pythias pi-thee-us
*Friend of Damon; Phintias (according to legend) was condemned to death by Dionysius the Elder and asked a respite to put his affairs in order; Damon pledged his life for the return of his friend; when Phintias returned in time the tyrant released them both (4th century BC)

Unusual first name.

[RetiredTexasVet]

If we had a DOJ, TSA would be designated as an organized crime organization.

[nickcarraway]

Does the TSA consider this a crime?

[Repeat Offender]

Takes Stuff Away

[Carriage Hill]

For them, it’s a *resume enhancement*.

[max americana]

I know someone personally whose job is to clean the airplane after the passengers disembark...

The thing that surprised me is why a well-educated, university grad would do such a thing as a job. He then tells me that even though the flight crew inspects the plane before boarding, they are STILL able to find stuff like Iphones, ipods, gameboys..and he sells them on Craigslist.

[detective]

TSA people feel up airline passengers. They touch and rub peoples crotches. They steal money and valuable items from airline passengers. They confiscate shampoo and other personal items. They inconvenience and delay travelers. They threaten passengers who question them.

They do nothing to prevent terrorists.

They get paid with taxpayer money.

They are like other members of the Obama Administration. They push around honest Americans. They steal from honest Americans. They do nothing useful.

[publius911]

Strange...
Not a word about what the penalty is for stealing $800,000 worth of stuff.
Does it matter if the perp is Amish?

[20yearvet]

“
He said he soon learned how to read the X-ray scans to find the most valuable items to steal.”

“I could tell whether it was cameras or laptops or portable cameras or whatever kind of electronic was in the bag,” Brown said.”

So instead of looking for BOMBS, GUNS, or KNIFES, he was busy looking for stuff to steel. I feel so much safer now.

[Jim from C-Town]

He did three years in prison. No word as to how much of his pension, if any =, was confiscated. Three years for an estimated $800,000 worth of stolen material seems like a light sentence.

[luvbach1]

The TSA confiscated the miniature Swiss Army Knife (1-1/4” blade) that I had on my key ring.

[AZLiberty]

Disband TSA and let licensed gun owners carry on airplanes.

Once they hardened the cockpit doors there was no reason to take away our freedom and dignity for the excuse of “security”.

[Irenic]

Yep, they will race to be the first on the plane for just that reason. Also, the towel that wipes up the toilet is often the same towel that will wipe off the seat back trays.