TSA Baggage Handler Arrested For iPad Theft

At DFW a TSA baggage handler put his own spin on the check-in process by allegedly stealing iPads from passengers checked luggage. Clayton Keith Dovel, 36, of Bedford was arrested Feb. 1 and has been suspended indefinitely, officials said.

According to airport police, a traveler reported Jan. 24 that his iPad 2 had been stolen and that he had traced it electronically to a home in Bedford owned by Dovel. While arresting Dovel in that case, airport police discovered another iPad in Dovel's leather satchel. Dovel told authorities that the iPad was his but that he couldn't remember where he bought it, according to police reports. Using that iPad's serial number, police traced it to a Grand Prairie man who had reported that it was stolen as he traveled through Terminal E in May. If found guilty, he could face 2-10 years in jail.

The TSA issued a statement calling the arrest part of a, "zero-tolerance policy for allegations of misconduct or theft," at the airport. The statement continued, saying that, "The unacceptable behavior of this individual in no way reflects the dedication of our nearly 50,000 Transportation Security officers who work tirelessly to keep our skies safe."

It's a statement we've heard a little too often as recent weeks have seen various TSA employees arrested on charges of prostitution, drunk and disorderly conduct, firearms violations, charges of child pornography and more.

FMI: www.tsa.gov