Possible TSA Theft in Kentucky.

[robd]

I got a disturbing phone (messenger) call from Jnr#1 this afternoon. She flew from Louisville to Chicago today. After she had arrived at the hotel in Chicago, her phone alarm went off signifying that it's time for her to take her medication. She opened the front zip pocket of her backpack to find her tablets were gone. She is 100% sure of where she put her medication, and after the fact, is now convinced that it was taken whilst going through the TSA process in Louisville.

At security pre boarding, she took the necessary items out of her handbag and placed them in a tray and then put the backpack on the conveyor belt directly after the tray. She then proceeded through the scanner without issue and went to retrieve her tray and her backpack. When she got to the other end however, the tray was there with all her items in it, but she had to wait for her backpack to come through after 3 other passengers items. She thought it a bit odd at the time, but it was only when she discovered her medication gone at the hotel when her alarm went off, that she put 2 & 2 together.

Fortunately, she split her medication between her checked luggage and carry-on, but it means that she now doesn't have enough medication to get her through to the end of her trip in the US. She has travel insurance and paid the extra premium to be covered for her condition, but it's a PITA that someone would take her life saving medicine and we doubt whether the medication has any street value anyway. The medication is Xarelto, which is a blood thinner akin to Warfarin. She has cerebral venus sinus thrombosis (blood clot in the brain).

Checking online drug stores in the US (CVS, Walgreens, etc.) the $ cost ranges from $360 - $600 US for a 28 day prescription (I assume this is without health insurance). I have no idea whether they sell this stuff on the black market or whether it was taken without knowing what it was.

I guess it pays to be vigilant when going through the security process. Follow you things through as much as you can. I have since googled TSA thefts and find that it's not uncommon with ~360 sackings in 2012 for that reason.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Sorry to hear this!

i just spoke to one of my good friends who lives in Louisville. Their thoughts are that the medication probably slipped out of the back pack somehow rather than being stolen. They are frequent flyers, using SDF all the time. I have also been there a good 30+ times. The TSA gets a lot of flack, but at SDF they're generally pretty reasonable... no reason to suspect the officers are involved in the theft.

We also don't think a passenger is likely to have stolen it... these aren't narcotic based medications.

My friend's advice is to start making a couple of calls... start with the Lousiville Airport lost and found, and another call, if possible, to the TSA office at Lousiville airport. It's possible the meds dropped out somehow and were handed in (or perhaps stuck inside the machine somewhere!) Also worth calling the last hotel to see if they found it.

The issue with waiting for three bags is not necessarily indicative of any wrong doing. It's quite common in the states for bags to be rescreened... these will be put through in front of any bags that might be waiting to go through the x-ray.

Ill have to check again with my friend (it's just after 5am there) whether the whole TSA check point is under video surveillance.

Agree medications can be expensive... I similarly had to fill a prescription in the states and it was something like $180 for 30 tablets. For most Americans that is covered by their health insurance (so in the absence of the drugs being narcotics based, re-sale on the black market may not be a primary reason). The other thing to check is whether a particular pharmac_ has it in stock. My medication had to be ordered and took 2 days to arrive. So worth checking a few pharmacies if that's the case in Chicago.

Yes there are lots of horror stories about the TSA on the net. If you believe 1% of the stories you be convinced every TSA officer was a sexual predator, paedophile or theif! The reality is most of them aren't so bad. The Lousiville ones are actually pretty nice comparatively. And accidents do happen (loss rather than stolen).

Ordinarily the advice would be to never put medication of that nature in checked baggage. This time however it seems that decision proved to be a lifesaver - literally - by the sound of it!

 

[robd]

Sorry to hear this!

i just spoke to one of my good friends who lives in Louisville. Their thoughts are that the medication probably slipped out of the back pack somehow rather than being stolen. They are frequent flyers, using SDF all the time. I have also been there a good 30+ times. The TSA gets a lot of flack, but at SDF they're generally pretty reasonable... no reason to suspect the officers are involved in the theft.

We also don't think a passenger is likely to have stolen it... these aren't narcotic based medications.

My friend's advice is to start making a couple of calls... start with the Lousiville Airport lost and found, and another call, if possible, to the TSA office at Lousiville airport. It's possible the meds dropped out somehow and were handed in (or perhaps stuck inside the machine somewhere!) Also worth calling the last hotel to see if they found it.

The issue with waiting for three bags is not necessarily indicative of any wrong doing. It's quite common in the states for bags to be rescreened... these will be put through in front of any bags that might be waiting to go through the x-ray.

Ill have to check again with my friend (it's just after 5am there) whether the whole TSA check point is under video surveillance.

Agree medications can be expensive... I similarly had to fill a prescription in the states and it was something like $180 for 30 tablets. For most Americans that is covered by their health insurance (so in the absence of the drugs being narcotics based, re-sale on the black market may not be a primary reason). The other thing to check is whether a particular pharmac_ has it in stock. My medication had to be ordered and took 2 days to arrive. So worth checking a few pharmacies if that's the case in Chicago.

Yes there are lots of horror stories about the TSA on the net. If you believe 1% of the stories you be convinced every TSA officer was a sexual predator, paedophile or theif! The reality is most of them aren't so bad. The Lousiville ones are actually pretty nice comparatively. And accidents do happen (loss rather than stolen).

Ordinarily the advice would be to never put medication of that nature in checked baggage. This time however it seems that decision proved to be a lifesaver - literally - by the sound of it!

Thank you. I appreciate your response. I don't think we have ever thought (up until now) that TSA were not to be trusted (naively). Of course we have heard of theft in checked luggage, but didn't consider that it could, and does, happen through security. I repeatedly asked Jnr if it were possible that the meds fell out of the bag, or she miss placed them, or she left them behind or any other alternative. She is 100% sure of where she put them, and the bag was zipped up the whole way through.

She doesn't have any doubt about where she put them and that they were secure. It doesn't make sense.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

it's a strange case. For a theft to occur, either the TSA or other passengers in lithe line have to overlook the other doing the theft.

The other issue is motive. If it was a wallet missing, someone can easily say they picked up the wrong one. Meds are a bit harder. And for what purpose?

I've just had confirmation from my friend in Louisville that the entire area is under video surveillance.

If if lost and found/TSA/previous accommodation all show up nothing, maybe worth a complaint to start an official investigation?

 

[robd]

it's a strange case. For a theft to occur, either the TSA or other passengers in lithe line have to overlook the other doing the theft.

The other issue is motive. If it was a wallet missing, someone can easily say they picked up the wrong one. Mess are a bit harder. And for what purpose?

I've just had confirmation from my friend in Louisville that the entire area is under video surveillance.

If if lost and found/TSA/previous accommodation all show up nothing, maybe worth a complaint to start an official investigation?

Very strange indeed!

She's has to lodge a report with TSA agency so that she can claim on her insurance.

I'll let her know about the video surveillance.

I guess this is just a reminder to follow your things (as much as you can) through the scanner and perhaps make eye contact with the TSA's so they know you're watching them.

 

[snabbu]

Sorry to hear this unfortunate event.

I guess this is just a reminder to follow your things (as much as you can) through the scanner and perhaps make eye contact with the TSA's so they know you're watching them.

This is paramount IMO. Personally when I'm lining up with my stuff ready to slide through the scanner I'll wait until my things are literally at the point of no return, then walk through the body scanner. At times this seems to hold people up who pop their gear on the belt and walk through however I've been stung before where something has been stolen before the scanner (as I used to walk through before my gear went through).

You live and learn.

 

[blackcat20]

Sorry to hear this unfortunate event.



This is paramount IMO. Personally when I'm lining up with my stuff ready to slide through the scanner I'll wait until my things are literally at the point of no return, then walk through the body scanner. At times this seems to hold people up who pop their gear on the belt and walk through however I've been stung before where something has been stolen before the scanner (as I used to walk through before my gear went through).

You live and learn.

I do the same; no way am I letting any of my stuff out of my sight if I can help it.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Very strange indeed!

She's has to lodge a report with TSA agency so that she can claim on her insurance.

I'll let her know about the video surveillance.

I guess this is just a reminder to follow your things (as much as you can) through the scanner and perhaps make eye contact with the TSA's so they know you're watching them.

robd - any update from the TSA or lost/found on this?

 

[robd]

robd - any update from the TSA or lost/found on this?

She got a letter from TSA (not sure if it was airport or TSA H.O.) acknowledging the reported theft/loss. I think they said it could take up to 3 weeks for the investigation. She really just wanted the acknowledgement so that she could claim on her insurance. The trip to the doctor was US $150 and the prescription US $411.

 

[newmarket]

I have since googled TSA thefts and find that it's not uncommon with ~360 sackings in 2012 for that reason.

If it's on google it must be right. She probably just lost it.