( ... hey anyone want to shoping at LAX ? ;-) )
--- Richard richardr@studio.disney.com ( MIMI / NeXT-Mail welcome )
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To: All SRC Offices
From: Paul Abramson
We've recently learned of a hustle that's being employed at airports all across the country to steal lap top computers. It involves two persons who look for a victim carrying a lap top and approaching a metal detector. They position themselves in front of the unsuspecting passenger. They stall until the mark puts the lap top computer on the conveyor belt. Then the first subject moves through the metal detector easily. The second subject sets off the detector and begins a slow process of emptying pockets, removing jewelry, etc. While this is happening, the first subject takes the lap top as soon as it appears on the conveyor belt and moves away quickly. When the passenger finally gets through the metal detector, the lap top is gone. The subject that picks it up heads into the gate area and disappears among the crowd. Sometimes a third subject will take a hand-off from the first subject and the computer is out of the restricted area before the mark even knows that it is gone.
This is becoming a widely practiced problem and is happening at airports everywhere. When traveling with a lap top computer, try to avoid lines to enter a metal detector when possible. When you can't do that, delay putting your luggage and lap top on the conveyor belt until you are sure that you will be the next person through the metal detector. As you move through the metal detector, keep your eyes on the conveyor belt and watch for your luggage and lap top to come through as well as watching for what those in front of you are picking up.