Last night over $300 worth of items were stolen from my person by a 7-9 year-old child (merry Christmas). He had reached into my bin, taken money, AirPods, and some other items, but left the wallet and charging case. Other people reported their wallets missing, but TSA was treating this as “items lost” and refused to even review the footage. Given the definition of grand larceny (to my knowledge) is $200 or more, this just doesn’t seem right. I just want a police report filed, and to file a complaint against the TSA officers who refused to even write down my information. Who should I contact? What should I do? Port authority told me I have to fax them a report or come in face-to-face.
Edit- Wow! The response from you guys has been unbelievable. I really appreciate all of the detailed answers. I was half expecting no response or back handed “lesson learned” comments. Thanks a lot r/legaladvice!
I was recently stranded in JFK due to storm Stella. While trying to rush through the TSA checkpoint to attempt to catch one of the last flights out before the storm hit, I stacked an empty TSA belongings bin on top of the one that contained my laptop and forgot it. I checked with the TSA after realizing my mistake and was informed that a laptop had been found that matched the description in the time-frame I lost it and had been handed off to the airport lost and found.
After checking with the terminal baggage services desk, I was informed there was no physical lost and found to visit anymore, and that I was required to fill out an online form describing my item and that I would be contacted if it was located, which I did. Unfortunately, I was not contacted before my flight, so I left New York.
Yesterday, I get a phone call from the lost and found employee, asking me to describe the background image I have on my computer, and the login screen, which I was able to do. I was also able to provide other identifying details such as the brand and location of a wireless usb mouse FOB that was still in the laptop.
Everything seemed to be going well, until the employee demanded that I provide my computers logon password so that he could "Look around the desktop and really make sure" it was mine. To which I emphatically declined. He informed me it was their standard policy to do so, and that if I refused he would not return my computer. Our tones quickly became heated, and I didn't think to immediately ask for a supervisor or other employee, and he hung up on me.
The laptop is a Chrome Book, and I have two-step verification on, so while I could technically provide the password to prove that it is mine without actually allowing access to the device itself, I have absolutely no interest in doing so. The whole practice seems abhorrently sketchy to me, and I can only imagine what these employees have searched other individuals computers for.
I care far less about having the laptop returned to me than I do addressing the underlying issue at hand here. I am wondering what steps, if any, I can take.
Additionally, this was at the JFK terminal 8 TSA checkpoint, and it was handed over to terminal 8 Lost and Found. I am not sure if that means that this employee is an American Airlines employee, or if Lost and Found is handled airport wide by the Port Authority, or JFK employees, or what, if anyone has information on that, I would be grateful.
This is really bumming me out and I can't find an announcement from Delta about the route change. Why did they do this?
UPDATE: False Alarm, Pictures were posted before and Vlad is now the biggest troll
http://twitter.com/PMBreakingNews/status/1241426597145706496
