AikiDale Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Guns Disappearing at O'Hare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 "Please log in". I hate that too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AikiDale Posted August 15, 2006 Author Share Posted August 15, 2006 Guns at O'Hare are disappearing Firearms being stolen from checked bags By David Heinzmann and Josh Noel Tribune staff reporters Published August 14, 2006 Several handguns have been stolen from bags checked by police officers, military personnel and others on United Airlines flights departing O'Hare International Airport, sparking concern that the weapons are loose in what is supposed to be a secure part of the airport. Since the beginning of the year, there have been "a handful" of firearm thefts from luggage being handled by United personnel, Chicago police spokeswoman Monique Bond said. Bags containing guns also have disappeared, authorities said. News of an investigation surfaced days after new security restrictions were placed on airports across the nation in the wake of British authorities foiling what they said was a plot to blow up U.S.-bound airplanes. Aviation security experts said stealing from checked luggage long has been a problem at many airports and that guns are a favored target because they are easy to smuggle out and easy to sell. Still another concern is that putting something into a bag could be just as easy as taking an item out, experts said. "It's a problem at every airline and every airport," said aviation security consultant Douglas Laird. United spokeswoman Robin Urbanski would not discuss the investigation Sunday except to say the airline is "working with the authorities on this matter." United, based in Chicago, is the dominant airline at O'Hare. Also joining police in the investigation are the FBI and Chicago Department of Aviation. For police officers, word of the thefts is being circulated on the Chicago police union's Web site, which warns of an officer whose weapon was stolen--one of "several cases" in "an ongoing problem"--that investigators confirmed for the union. "United Airlines is having a serious problem with theft at O'Hare Airport," a notice on the Fraternal Order of Police site says. "This is something to think about next time you arrange vacation or business plans. Perhaps United Airlines is not the correct choice for flights for law enforcement or military personnel." The FOP posted the warning as a service to its members after a union member's gun was stolen, President Mark Donahue said. He said he knew little about the investigation's status or when the gun was stolen. "He expressed his concern [to the union] just in the last week, so I'm guessing it wasn't too long ago," Donahue said. Experts said there are generally two sources of such thefts: airline employees or Transportation Safety Administration baggage screeners. Stealing from checked luggage is a problem that dates back decades, Laird said. People checking in luggage carrying a gun must declare their weapon with a ticket agent. Stealing the gun could be as easy as a ticket agent notifying a baggage handler below about which bag to open, Laird said. Although the law requires guns to be carried in locked, hard-sided cases, baggage handlers have no problem getting into such luggage, he said. The other possibility, experts said, is that TSA screeners who X-ray or inspect bags by hand could be pocketing the guns. "Nobody has ever really resolved a real way around it," Laird said. "There's a real dilemma with baggage theft in the airline industry." Watching the bags with cameras would be very costly, he said, with hundreds of cameras needed to survey the wide area where bags are handled, he said. But David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association, an advocacy group for passenger security and savings, said such safety should be a priority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmittyFL Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 The security consultant seems pretty nonchalant about people stealing stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIIID Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 The last time I checked a bag with a gun in it with United, the baggage tag has a row of X's on it which denotes a firearm inside. It's not noticable to the average person but the baggage handlers know what it stands for. It may have changed since. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Boudrie Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 The United code used to be a row of "F"s - have they changed it to "X"s make it more secret? I personally prefere a secure locked case with non-TSA locks. The upside is that a baggage handler can't easily slip a gun out and hide it on their person, but the downside is that the bag definitely looks a bit more "interesting." I know I could nest it in another bag, but the Pelican I use for this is a bit big for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotwings2001 Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Well if they would just pull there heads out and let us carry them in our carry on bags----checked, verified and ziptied with NO ammo ----then the normal everyday law abiding gun owner wouldn't have to worry. But NOOOOOOOO way. That makes perfect sense. It wouldn't be PC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Well if they would just pull there heads out and let us carry them in our carry on bags----checked, verified and ziptied with NO ammo ----then the normal everyday law abiding gun owner wouldn't have to worry. But NOOOOOOOO way. That makes perfect sense. It wouldn't be PC. +1 Guns don't kill people ............. bullets do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38superman Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 It really shouldn't be too hard to catch these guys. All the airlines has to do is bait some luggage with a "firearms" tag and put in a dye pack like they use for bank robberies. When the thief opens it up he gets the blue smurf face and a trip to the iron bar hotel. Burn a few of these guys and this will stop. T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Middle Man Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 (edited) Burn a few of these guys and this will stop.T I hate sticky fingers too! Yep, that may help to lower the thefts out of bags. Hard to do much about "lost" luggage, unless the airlines make big (expensive) changes. Maybe they need to hire some loss prevention managment folks from the retail world that won't have to pay union dues. Edited August 15, 2006 by Middle Man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blkbrd Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Fly an airline that has no tag on the outside of the bag..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Fly direct if at all possible too-- that way they can't blame intermediate stops for your bag disappearing. Security / TSA should be all over this. I can think of (but won't detail publicly) a number of ways a gun could end up inside the secured area and/or on a plane with just a little switcharoo in baggage handling; maybe not even touching the gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huston in Austin Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Burn a few of these guys and this will stop.T But if we burn them alive the ACLU will get mad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bore Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 After working construction in the baggage handling area in the Sea/Tac airport. I noticed that it would be easy to get out with anything you wanted to take, since they (security/TSA) are more worried about what's coming in. We had a real problem with tool theft and not just small tools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AikiDale Posted August 16, 2006 Author Share Posted August 16, 2006 I can think of (but won't detail publicly) a number of ways a gun could end up inside the secured area and/or on a plane with just a little switcharoo in baggage handling; maybe not even touching the gun. The 'Company' will neither confirm nor deny Shred's employment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistral404 Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 I hate flying with a firearm anymore. The risk is too high. Lately, I just FedEx the firearm. And no I do not declare it as a firearm with Fedex. Yes it is against their rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokshwn Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Quite a few coworkers throw bags as a side job. To hear the difference in security measures between what we have to go through to fly and what they have to go through is a joke. According to any of them it would be no problem at all to get a job at the airport and subsequently bring items (whatever you may think of) in to put on a flight with little problem. The same goes for taking stuff out. As a side note buy decent luggage with lots of handles for the baggage guys to use and don't overload it. You don't even want to know the stories of what they do to bags that are heavy or have a fragile sticker on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeInNePa Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 If I can't drive there, I don't need to go. I know, maybe we can get the Feds to bailout the airlines again and pay for all these expensive security upgrades that are needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBurkett Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Looks like they may have gotten mine yesterday in Chicago. Still two pelican cases missing with no info at all. All three guns plus gear are gone. Should be interesting to see if they show up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Stoeger Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Looks like they may have gotten mine yesterday in Chicago. Still two pelican cases missing with no info at all. All three guns plus gear are gone. Should be interesting to see if they show up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberneck Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Fly an airline that has no tag on the outside of the bag..... How about someone suing United for violating federal law by using a tag that indicates the presence of a firearm. The only way to get big companies to act is to hit them where it hurts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBurkett Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Don't know if that applies to international flights - probably domestic only. Making all the phone calls to start getting stuff replaced. What a PIA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Norman Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Good luck Matt. Airports and luggage are a scary situation. One time many years ago on the way back from a three week job inthe Carribean, My tool box and a suitcase were left that the counter in San Juan, by the airport persons escorting me to my plane (very short time interval and a lot of very helpfull people). The tools and luggage showed up, a week later, after I called the airline and asked them to go to the particular counter and look. They did and surprise! My tools and bags were sitting where they had been left two days earlier! They got it all on a plane and shipped to me, but can you imagine that in all of the security structure we have to endure, leaving a couple bags just sitting? THis occured afer Gul One and before 9/11 On that note, this thread is about O'Hare, what is the general consensus on other airports, noteably Newark and Tulsa???? Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberneck Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 On that note, this thread is about O'Hare, what is the general consensus on other airports, noteably Newark and Tulsa???? Knowing a couple PA Police officers and hearing their stories about Newark I would never fly out of Newark with a gun that I was attached to. Odds are that Newark is just as bad as O'Hare and then you have to deal with LEO's that don't understand NJ firearms law. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBurkett Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Well just covered the info on the radio show about traveling with guns. Will upload the show tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now