Pilot: Item Would Have Been Confiscated By Employees Anyway

Well, this is certainly embarrassing. The Jacksonville Aviation Authority Police Department is investigating a Mesa Airlines pilot who has been accused of taking a passenger's iPod while going through a security checkpoint at Jacksonville International Airport last week, police said.

The sad part is he was caught on camera and admitted he'd done it to police... but reportedly said it would have been taken by airport employees, anyway, according to Atlanta WABTV Channel 2 News.

The ugly little saga began ;ast Thursday, when a passenger reported to Transportation Security Administration agents his iPod was missing after he went through the security checkpoint.

A review of the security tape showed pilot Christopher Newton placing an empty container over the container holding the passenger's belongings, apparently as a cover, then removing an item from the lower container. The pilot then placed the item he'd removed in his computer bag.

When Newton was located by police, already on board United Express Flight 7332 getting ready to go, he admitted he did, indeed, have the iPod in question. He said he took it because it was just going to be confiscated by airport employees.

After Newton gave the iPod to police, he was allowed back in the cockpit because the incident made the flight 15 minutes late.

Traveler Phillip Pine told KPHO Phoenix CBS 5 News, "I think it's pretty much a non-story. A guy got caught stealing an iPod."

Newton's neighbor, Lynda Schlosser, thinks otherwise. "He is trusted, not only by me, but the rest of the airport," she said.

Newton's wife was approached by a CBS 5 reporter at his residence in Phoenix, but she declined comment.

There have been no arrests yet, but the State Attorney's Office will reportedly be issuing a summons soon.

TSA spokesperson Nico Melendez said, "We know passengers steal from passengers. It can happen anywhere. Fortunately, some airports do have cameras. Workers try to keep their eyes open and we urge passengers to do the same."

FMI: www.jaxport.com/jia.cfm, www.mesa-air.com, www.apple.com/itunes/