Chicago-based photographer named Alex Garcia was traveling back from Havana and overnighted in Miami on Thursday. After waiting for hours to clear passport control he headed to the baggage carousel for his luggage, but he couldn’t find his bag.
Goodbye Havana, will see you and all again soon #HispanicHeritageMonth #cuba #havana pic.twitter.com/zdduekgGl9
— Alex Garcia (@AGarciaPhoto) September 16, 2022
He’d placed an AirTag in it, and he knew that it left the airport. Police there were uninterested. So he decided to chase it down himself.
Thought I should end with the avatar that led the recovery operation. #airtag pic.twitter.com/LWlDs44Tlr
— Alex Garcia (@AGarciaPhoto) September 16, 2022
Airport cop shrugs. Missing bag. Says cops won’t care. Agitated. Night crew will take too long to respond.
— Alex Garcia (@AGarciaPhoto) September 16, 2022
The Pulitzer Prize winner, who has previously done work for the Chigao Tribune and Los Angeles Times, decide to take an Uber for the 10 mile trip to track down his bag. He didn’t want to be without it when he left for Chicago in the morning.
When he arrived he found a home with the lights on and it appeared his bag was inside. He knocked. No one came to the door. They called the police. He told the cops his story, they spoke to the homeowners. They came out and returned the bag.
Officers came, they seemed a little doubtful about #airtag. questioned the homeowners. Questioned us. Woman comes out with my suitcase. Said she had been at the airport but offered little information.
— Alex Garcia (@AGarciaPhoto) September 16, 2022
My first thought was that perhaps they’d brought the wrong bag home. Airlines are always reminding passengers that ‘many bags look alike’. Perhaps they’d even opened the bag and realized it wasn’t theirs. Not everyone reports that immediately (or perhaps at all). Garcia is doubtful, since his bag had red twist ties on it to stand out uniquely.
Maybe because I was tired and hungry but I was furious. “Your ‘ mistake’ cost me $70 in cab fare!” She offered no recompense, apology or otherwise. Cops didn’t care about establishing any further motive. Stood there. I started shouting in Spanish like a crazy old Cuban man.
— Alex Garcia (@AGarciaPhoto) September 16, 2022
Always AirTag your bags if you’re in the Apple ecosystem (Android alternatives don’t quite measure up), but don’t try this at home kids. Showing up at a Miami-area home after 1 a.m. accusing someone of theft (even if it’s true) can be dangerous to your health.
Update: Alex Garcia reaches out to clarify that he “called the police when they didn’t come to door. They apparently did too. So two cops came, ours first.”
There is no one checking bag ownership upon departing the arrivals terminals with ID the way they did years ago
So all of this is more likely to happen
I would never especially in Miami try and take my bag back from someone who stole it or accidentally borrowed it.What if they shoot at try to/kill/you?
An insurance claim works better imo and a lot safer!
Ignore the lazy pigs. Show up with a gun. Find, fix, and finish. No sympathy for crims.
Customs and Border Patrol would be interested. Stealing bags from the pre-customs area would be a federal offense, and you’d have to be on an incoming flight or work at the airport to get access to the bags.
Unfortunately, this is what happens when systems turn a blind eye to crime. There will be more cases like this that end ugly. At some point, we’ll see theft victims shot trying to recover their bag when cops don’t care. After that, the theft victims will start showing up with guns of their own. And all hell will break lose.
It’s really too bad no police force cared
Airport police should have listened; but Miami police should be ashamed for not doing more. Clear evidence of theft.
Another FAILURE from the Biden Regime.
@MikeR. It’s a good point regarding pre customs. Which leads me to believe that this was an honest mistake. Not like domestic where anyone can walk in and take a bag. As well I doubt they would call the police themselves about someone at their door at 1AM if they stole a bag just an hour before.
@Robert I doubt it was that the police didn’t care. I am sure they ran a check on the residents and found nothing in their system. As well, given it was pre customs and no one can randomly access – along with the fact that it was the residents who called the police, not the owner of the bag, what more would you expect them to do? There really was no there there.
@alsn did you pass 2nd grade? Biden is I charge of local PDs now? Idiot
I’ll say what everyone is thinking -The thieving bitch belongs in jail
I’m on Team HLO (Hand Luggage Only) wherever I fly!
Shocked that the Airport cop didn’t care, and even further that the Miami PD didn’t care. Do she or someone in the house work at the AIRPORT??? MIA and TSA should be sliding into his DM’s for more details on this. Absolutely ridiculous.
Alan, your comments are predictable and boring.
In support of Alan’s Ghost’s comment, the mayor of Miami (to whom the Police and Airport Police report) is a Republican. As is Florida’s governor. As is Florida’s Attorney General. Oops!
Lee – you are one ignorant turd.
Whether or not in the Apple ecosystem, Tile’s TilePro trackers work to track bags too and at times are more efficient and/or less annoying than AirTags.
As someone perhaps too deep in the Apple ecosystem, I find location benefits to using both AirTags and TilePro tags at the same time. Pop in both for the best of both.
David Miller, your comments are predictable and boring.
Some guy has his bag stolen in Miami: another failure of the Biden regime.
Southwest aircraft has a cracked window: another failure of the Biden regime.
American Airlines discontinues SFO flight attendant base: another failure of the Biden regime.
Delta Sky Clubs are overcrowded: another failure of the Biden regime.
Schiphol CEO resigns: another failure of the Biden regime.
New Zealand Air launches non-stop to NY: another failure of the Biden regime.
B-O-R-I-N-G
Lee – and you are a troll – passe.
@Gary – Absolute non sequitur here but I’ve been walking a mile in your shoes lately as I do my elite night and segment runs and I’ve been observing just how bad airport food choices tend to be in AA hubs. I think that a list of your favorites, along with possible lounge options that offer food (Centurion lounge in CLT for instance) might be really valuable to a lot of readers.
David Miller’s accusation about another is perhaps better recognized as a confession?
Taking a stranger’s international arriving bag at MIA to then clear customs with it? Sounds like a recipe for being at risk of being hit for a civil or criminal violation of US customs rules even if theft isn’t part of the picture.
Samsung Smarttags work just as well….
So we keep inflating police budgets for then to not do the most basic elements of their job.
I think this website needs a moderator.
@alan. Stop it this is not a political forum. Biden does not control the Miami police. Do not deflect your bad mood and poor attitude on here. Go to Trumps not a president website
@alan. Stop it this is not a political forum. Biden does not control the Miami police. Do not deflect your bad mood and poor attitude on here. Go to Trumps not a president website .
I’m surprised Stephen Miller didn’t come after him Mr. Garcia.
@David Miller
What’s a matter Davey did Lee get your goat?
These anti Biden people need to get a job and get off welfare. They failed U.S. history in 8th grade and are the uneducated communist Trump supporters
@Christian – Tortas Frontera at ORD; the Capital One lounge at DFW; $28 credit for Bobby Van’s at JFK; really don’t love the options at LAX T4/5 I guess Donburi bistro in terminal 5 but that’s not actually a recommendation; La Carreta at MIA; in Charlotte nothing is actually good and i’m not impressed by the Centurion lounge there though I haven’t had the problems getting in that some report – if you can’t go there (again, food not impressive) just go to the Bojangles and get it to go, bring the food into Priority Pass-accessible Minute Suites… El Centro of Five Guys at DCA… I don’t actually have thoughts on PHX.
The baG theft aside Biden is still a joke and the border is secure and inflation is transitory. Food prices are going down. Plus brandon is a great speaker and his Son is a great business man so what if the laptop was real he can paint with a straw.
You gotta remember to keep up the meds, @Al ! OK?
“dave says: I think this website needs a moderator.”
Well, before the comments become subject to moderation, let me just say that David Miller is a Repugnantcan asshat.
In fact, I think David Miller is actually Stephen Miller, the self-hating J*** bastard.
Hey Stephen, if you still reside in that Southern California coastal town, consider this an open invitation to come play with me and some of the guys at the most popular basketball courts in the area. You’ll know the ones I’m referring to.
We’d love to get acquainted with you.
@Tomri:
Not a political forum? Tell that to all libtard trolls who just can’t stop thinking about and bashing Trump here any chance they get. Why haven’t you chastised any of THOSE losers?