Saturday, January 29, 2011

TSA Officer Charged with Theft was Listed as Local Union's Vice President

knoxnews.com


The Transportation Safety Administration agent accused of stealing a passenger's laptop computer at Memphis International Airport says he didn't do it.

"Man, it is crazy how they twist this thing," said the TSA employee, Ricky R. German, 48, of Memphis, on Friday.

"I had it -- I was looking for them," German said.

On Wednesday, airport police charged German with theft in connection with a Dec. 20 incident at the airport.

A passenger accidentally left an Apple Macbook valued at $1,200 in the "C" baggage claim lobby at the airport and reported it missing about 8:15 p.m. that night, according to a court affidavit filed by airport police.

Surveillance video at the airport shows German with the laptop about 7:30 p.m. It shows him throwing away paperwork with the owner's name on it from case, according to the affidavit.

German is shown taking the computer upstairs shortly before 8 p.m., placing it under a vacant ticket counter and carrying it back downstairs about 30 minutes later wrapped in his coat.

After German returned, the computer's owner told police he asked German twice if anyone turned in the laptop and German denied knowing about it, according to the court document.

German, a vice president in the National Treasury Employees Union Chapter 321 representing some TSA workers at the Memphis airport, said that after the misplaced laptop was brought to his attention by an airport worker, he kept it with him and told a witness to tell anyone looking for the laptop where he would be.

When he returned it, "they shook my hand and thanked me," German said.
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What should the TSA motto be?

"And you thought we just molested"

"We grab your junk and keep your valuables"

Any motto suggestions?

2 comments:

yellowdoggranny said...

do those people even have to pass a test to get that job? or be qualified?...sigh*

texlahoma said...

YDG - I don't know, I think the application is their test.

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