 Jose Pignatelli says he was robbed while passing through a security checkpoint before boarding a plane from Montreal to Argentina. (Maxime Deland/QMI Agency)
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MONTREAL – A dozen travellers from across Canada have come forward to allege that they have been robbed by airport security screeners since a QMI Agency investigation highlighted the little-known theft problem on Monday.
The travellers say authorities so often give them the runaround — or no response at all — when they file theft complaints.
Officials with two unions representing Canadian airport security screeners deny there is a theft problem at checkpoints, adding they don’t condone thieves in their ranks. But passengers beg to differ.
Jose Pignatelli , who works for the Port of Montreal, said his money clip was robbed from his carry-on bag while he went through a security checkpoint for a flight from Montreal to Argentina. He lost just under $100 in Canadian, U.S. and Argentinean currency.
“It wasn’t a lot of money, but it bothered me that I was robbed in such a place. I have a hard time accepting that — a very hard time,’’ said Pignatelli, who added he complained to his airline, but never heard back.
T.J. Corrigan of Toronto said Canadian currency was swiped from his wallet at a security checkpoint at the city's Pearson International Airport as he travelled to Florida for a winter holiday with his family in March 2010. He had put his wallet in the plastic bin.
“We were so distracted by my daughter's crying that I did not check my wallet until we were just about to board our flight,” he said.
He said $200 in Canadian currency was gone, but that $600 in U.S. currency remained untouched.
Ron Bons of Calgary said his son Sean, 21, was robbed of his iPod at Pearson while returning home from a wheelchair hockey tournament in August 2010.
“My son felt really defiled. You trust these people, you know? These people are there to protect us, not rip us off,’’ Bons said.
Mario A. of Montreal — who asked that his last name not be used, but whose story was confirmed by documents — said his wallet was swiped at a security checkpoint as he travelled to Cuba for a holiday in October 2010.
His wallet was later returned to him by his tour operator. All his identification and credit cards were still there, but $290 in Canadian currency had disappeared.
“They couldn’t tell me where they found it,’’ Mario said, adding he was was repeatedly distracted by screeners during an extended search, while his wife had sailed through the control area.
“It wasn’t normal,’’ he said.
Corrigan said he called the Peel Regional Police, who police Pearson airport, at the risk of “ruining” his vacation.
A Peel Regional officer told him the force had not received other complaints about cash thefts at the airport and urged him to file a complaint when he came back from his holiday, he said.
“I offered to review surveillance footage, but they wouldn’t entertain this,’’ Corrigan said. “I gave them a detailed account and believe nothing was done to follow up. I offered to point out the employee and area at which the theft occurred, but they weren't interested.’’
Peel Const. Erin Cooper confirmed that police investigated but made no arrests.
She said she couldn't comment on the specifics of the case or say whether police looked at the surveillance video as a part of the investigation.
