TSA steals Women's Rolex

[Gmo229]

Here is a story everyone can learn from!! I feel bad for the women, but I personally would never have let the watch leave my sight...or my wrist for that matter!

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2...security-check

[greygirl]

Wow, that's terrible!

Originally Posted by Gmo229

Here is a story everyone can learn from!! I feel bad for the women, but I personally would never have let the watch leave my sight...or my wrist for that matter!

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2...security-check

So, you'll just miss your flight home if they make you take it off? I can tell you that those screeners do not take kindly to any kind of argument. I once was coming home from Mexico and on my final leg, the security people wouldn't let be bring a rubber-tipped arrow and bow set I bought for my (then little) son. This was pre-2001 and the arrow was RUBBER for heaven's sake, so I gave them some grief--it had already been on two flights. Anyway, I checked it, then went back and they just smiled at me as I went through the screening, and then pulled me aside and gave me a VERY thorough personal search and went through every single pocket of my purse and my backpack dumping everything out. Thank God we had plenty of time before the flight because their little petty pay-back took forever.

All I'm saying is. . .I'm not sure that lady had any other option!

[mtrunner]

Truly unbelievable. I really don't understand some of their policies. My little nephew got a little toy bat from a Colorado Rockies game and the confiscated it. But the kicker is that a guy in front of us had a 4 foot steel cylinder holding his fly fishing rod. Umm if you wanted to use something as a weapon don't you think a four foot steel tube would do a lot more damage than a 18 inch toy bat?

[Zed Homme]

I fly a lot and TSA can be difficult. The fact that they admit that none of the cameras were working that day is mildly disturbing. Whenever I go through, I always take off my watch while still in line. Then I tuck it in a small compartment designed for a cell phone in my briefcase. This way no one is tempted to take it when it comes out of the metal detector on the other side.

[Speed]

Since I became a WIS, I wear my watch through security. So far, no alarms.

[chris russell]

have no choice but to do what TSA tells you, and if they had to they would forcibly take it off your wrist. If you give them any problem, they have the option of treating you like a 'suspect', and it's their word against yours, just like in this instance. Its seems clear from the story that they were focused on stealing the Rolex. Why else would the security cameras be 'not working'? It's partly for this reason that I don't travel with expensive watches.

[mtrunner]

Originally Posted by Zed Homme

I fly a lot and TSA can be difficult. The fact that they admit that none of the cameras were working that day is mildly disturbing. Whenever I go through, I always take off my watch while still in line. Then I tuck it in a small compartment designed for a cell phone in my briefcase. This way no one is tempted to take it when it comes out of the metal detector on the other side.

I do the same thing. I stick my watch in my briefcase. Also I think one problem with the TSA is every airport has different rules. They need to be more streamlined in their policies.

[2th Dr]

Originally Posted by chris russell

have no choice but to do what TSA tells you, and if they had to they would forcibly take it off your wrist. If you give them any problem, they have the option of treating you like a 'suspect', and it's their word against yours, just like in this instance. Its seems clear from the story that they were focused on stealing the Rolex. Why else would the security cameras be 'not working'? It's partly for this reason that I don't travel with expensive watches.

I seriously do not think they could forcibly take it off your wrist! They can refuse to let you pass, but FORCIBLY remove something from your person? I think not!
I would NEVER take my watch off, and so far have not had a problem passing through security. I made the metal detector go off only once, and I just asked them to "wand" me because I was NOT taking off my watch, and they did! As long as you have no other metal on you, your watch should not set the detector off.

[Safetrends]

Originally Posted by 2th DR

I seriously do not think they could forcibly take it off your wrist! They can refuse to let you pass, but FORCIBLY remove something from your person? I think not!
I would NEVER take my watch off, and so far have not had a problem passing through security. I made the metal detector go off only once, and I just asked them to "wand" me because I was NOT taking off my watch, and they did! As long as you have no other metal on you, your watch should not set the detector off.

X2 This is The United States of America and not a country where some thug can force you to do that. That is the God given right of a citizen of the United States to keep his watch on and that is why we have a second inspection. I have moved in and out of many security places where the damn buzzer went off and I had the wand me. This woman was dumb to remove her watch.

[cujo]

I don't understand this. I have flown a number of times and have never taken my Rolex off for screening. I have been required to take my belt off, but not my watch. And if directed to take it off, I would too, in agreement with Mark-O, would ask for the "wand".

[psv]

I just put my watch in the computer bag or jack pocket (zipped) before I go through screening to prevent this very situation. Or wear my Ti Breitling Seawolf and leave the watch on! :-)

By the way, I live in the DC Metro area - no way you can go through security here with a watch on your wrist. It will set off the alarm and annoy the TSA agents.

[cjcar631]

Sounds like this lady is pretty well connected. As long as she has the receipt for the watch, it's sounds like a pretty slam dunk case. But I do agree... never WEAR your expensive jewelry when traveling. Put it in your carry-on. A decent travel pouch will give you all the protection and peace of mind you need. Even when I wear a less expensive watch I'll usually slip it into one of my shoes just so it goes undetected to the eye. Sad to say, but who can you trust these days?

[CoopJr]

A TT DJ with diamonds is $24K?

As for the TSA, we all have our own experiences...but my personal ones have, for the most part, been negative...barely qualified...if at all.

[taljamil]

This is usually my greatest fear when traveling and I usually agree to remove my watch and put it in one of those plastic bins. No more, from now on my watch stays on! Because of my name (and ethnicity) I am usually always selected for additional "random" screening and I willingly oblige since I am just as eager to insure that no terrorists make it on the plane as anyone else but this means my watch is in most cases hanging out unattended in one of those plastic bins for way too long. So far I have been lucky but I'm not going to be so accommodating in the future. I have always been somewhat unwilling to make waves at security check-in since most of the time TSA already doesn't want to let me on the plane but if one of my watches went missing I would be livid. Perhaps I should just keep my watches at home but I like to have the two time zones on my Explorer II when traveling. For goodness sakes if I keep my Rolexes in the watch case, the terrorists win!

[Safetrends]

Originally Posted by taljamil

This is usually my greatest fear when traveling and I usually agree to remove my watch and put it in one of those plastic bins. No more, from now on my watch stays on! Because of my name (and ethnicity) I am usually always selected for additional "random" screening and I willingly oblige since I am just as eager to insure that no terrorists make it on the plane as anyone else but this means my watch is in most cases hanging out unattended in one of those plastic bins for way too long. So far I have been lucky but I'm not going to be so accommodating in the future. I have always been somewhat unwilling to make waves at security check-in since most of the time TSA already doesn't want to let me on the plane but if one of my watches went missing I would be livid. Perhaps I should just keep my watches at home but I like to have the two time zones on my Explorer II when traveling. For goodness sakes if I keep my Rolexes in the watch case, the terrorists win!

Do not feel bad, I always set off the alarms at the check in, and I always have to go into a second check.

[TattooedGQ]

Granted Im speaking in VERY broad terms....but I've never seen a TSA worker that I would trust with anything, no less a Rolex in the bin. In every airport I've been to they're the same, uneducated and far from civil. As others have said, I tend to hide the watch in a bag or shoe when it goes through the xray.

[Huskerjss]

That is scary stuff. I hate to even put mine in the tray and walk around

[JPersat]

I would absolutely refuse to take my watch off, and if they tried to forcibly take my watch off, they would be on the ground and in handcuffs. I WILL NOT put up with some metal detector/x-ray jockey that only has authority at the airport attempt to treat me like some criminal.

[nickriebe]

Mine doesnt leave my wrist and so far no problems...

[hennabav]

Very interesting thread.

[2th Dr]

Originally Posted by CoopJr

A TT DJ with diamonds is $24K?

As for the TSA, we all have our own experiences...but my personal ones have, for the most part, been negative...barely qualified...if at all.

I thought the same thing! And an older one at that! That's an aftermarket diamond bezel, and even a brand new ladies TT DJ 179173 with diamond dial (without the diamond bezel) is only $8800!

[kungpow]

Absolutely horrible! I've got an upcoming vacation, and although I've never had a problem leaving it on my wrist, stories like this make me nervous!

[chris russell]

Originally Posted by 2th DR

I seriously do not think they could forcibly take it off your wrist! They can refuse to let you pass, but FORCIBLY remove something from your person? I think not!
I would NEVER take my watch off, and so far have not had a problem passing through security.

that the security people at an airport are a law unto themselves. You have much, much less, (basically no), protection under the Constitution or any other protective legislation when tagged by TSA. That was so before 9/11, and it sure as heck is much, much more so now. I'm not looking to get into a flame-war, but seriously, there have been lots of people who have literally DISAPPEARED for months or years at a time when TSA and/or Homeland Security decided they represented a 'threat'. Do you really not know that? Remember the 83-year-old WWII veteran who was carried out in cuffs and shackles at an airport in Syracuse because he objected to Security dumping out his 80-year-old wife's change purse? He said, 'Did you think there was a bomb in my wife's change purse?', and he was gone. This stuff is not funny, these people have ZERO sense of humor, and you can get into a pot of trouble in seconds by saying one wrong word.

[chris russell]

Originally Posted by Safetrends

X2 This is The United States of America and not a country where some thug can force you to do that. That is the God given right of a citizen of the United States to keep his watch on and that is why we have a second inspection. I have moved in and out of many security places where the damn buzzer went off and I had the wand me. This woman was dumb to remove her watch.

But if not, do yourself a favor, and do NOT take that stance when Security tells you to do something you don't like. You would like what happens a whole lot less, trust me on that.

[rickyslam]

If you put the watch in your bag and then they see it while it goes through the bag xray do they still have the right to confiscated it and claim it to be a fake when going from country to country? I've heard of something like that happening here on TRF, and it had to be proven to be real but that person had no papers for the watch.

[2th Dr]

Originally Posted by chris russell

that the security people at an airport are a law unto themselves. You have much, much less, (basically no), protection under the Constitution or any other protective legislation when tagged by TSA. That was so before 9/11, and it sure as heck is much, much more so now. I'm not looking to get into a flame-war, but seriously, there have been lots of people who have literally DISAPPEARED for months or years at a time when TSA and/or Homeland Security decided they represented a 'threat'. Do you really not know that? Remember the 83-year-old WWII veteran who was carried out in cuffs and shackles at an airport in Syracuse because he objected to Security dumping out his 80-year-old wife's change purse? He said, 'Did you think there was a bomb in my wife's change purse?', and he was gone. This stuff is not funny, these people have ZERO sense of humor, and you can get into a pot of trouble in seconds by saying one wrong word.

I disagree. If they want you to remove your watch, you have the CHOICE to comply, or refuse and not go through the checkpoint. They CANNOT forcibly remove a watch from your wrist unless they have reasonable suspicion that the watch poses a threat or that YOU pose a threat. The 83 year old veteran was carried off in handcuffs because he made a scene! AND he made a BOMB comment! THAT's why he got arrested. I HAVE refused to take off my watch, and asked to be wanded, and they agreed to it. Where's the problem in that?

[chris russell]

Originally Posted by 2th DR

I disagree. If they want you to remove your watch, you have the CHOICE to comply or refuse and not go through the checkpoint. They CANNOT forcibly remove a watch from your wrist unless they have reasonable suspicion that the watch posses a threat or that YOU pose a threat. I HAVE refused to take of my watch, and asked to be wanded, and they agreed to it. Where's the problem in that?

Let's leave it at that.

[Gmo229]

Originally Posted by chris russell

that the security people at an airport are a law unto themselves. You have much, much less, (basically no), protection under the Constitution or any other protective legislation when tagged by TSA. That was so before 9/11, and it sure as heck is much, much more so now. I'm not looking to get into a flame-war, but seriously, there have been lots of people who have literally DISAPPEARED for months or years at a time when TSA and/or Homeland Security decided they represented a 'threat'. Do you really not know that? Remember the 83-year-old WWII veteran who was carried out in cuffs and shackles at an airport in Syracuse because he objected to Security dumping out his 80-year-old wife's change purse? He said, 'Did you think there was a bomb in my wife's change purse?', and he was gone. This stuff is not funny, these people have ZERO sense of humor, and you can get into a pot of trouble in seconds by saying one wrong word.

I think this is a little over the top. We have all heard these types of stories, but they have to be few and far between. I think if you don't make a scene, politely tell them that you won't take off the watch, and request to them to use the wand. I don't think you will have much of a problem.

[2th Dr]

Originally Posted by chris russell

Let's leave it at that.

Ok. But this IS the USA, and TSA is NOT above the law. Last time I flew, a few weeks ago, I took my Mont Blanc pen out of my pocket and put it in the basket to be scanned. After it went through, the TSA guy took it out of the basket and began scrutinizing it, like it was some kind of bomb or trigger, or who knows what he was thinking. After about a minute of waiting, I told him, rather forcefully I might add, "It's a pen!" He just ignored me and put the pen back in the basket. I wasn't in the least bit worried they were going to search me, or arrest me for my comment. Now if I had said, "It's not a bomb trigger, stupid!", then yeah, I probably would have been.

[2th Dr]

Originally Posted by Gmo229

I think this is a little over the top. We have all heard these types of stories, but they have to be few and far between. I think if you don't make a scene, politely tell them that you won't take off the watch, and request to them to use the wand. I don't think you will have much of a problem.