So you indicated you can be away from your stuff for "up to 10 minutes" and now you brought it with you? I am confused apparently.

And artificial hip or not they should not make you wait that long. My friend has one too, we have never waited that long and if we did I would complain. Heck her family has two diabetic pumps, an hip and a pacemaker. We can that entire medical group through in less then 10 minutes.


It is their job to be prepared for hand pats of BOTH sexes in a timely manner

Considering how many agents just stand around play acting they should have plenty of staff.

Again I ask, how long can this continue?

Jewelry is usually only covered on your homeowner's insurance for about $500 unless you've added a rider (requires appraisal of the jewelry).

Robert,

You ask how long this can continue. I say, this can continue as long as there are posters who feel they have something to say. You act as if someone is forcing you to read what we write. I learned a few things from Isabella's and others' experiences.

If you find nothing interesting, don't click on the link. It's that simple.

I'm sorry that you lost or had your ring stolen. I know I would very upset too. I have never had to remove my jewelry but I see some people are saying you don't have to remove your Ipad from your bag when going through security. That is not true. I flew last month internationally and when leaving the US, I had to remove it. They saw it when it went through the machine and they pulled me to the side, removed it and away my bag and Ipad by itself went through again. I was not allowed to go back and watch it. Same thing happened to the people behind me.

Carol, yes you are confused. The time I was away from my stuff for ten minutes my partner had it, so it was ok. I indicated that when I am alone I ask to bring it in or have it brought in.

Whether it should or or should not take ten minutes is not the issue, it takes how long it takes, and complaining about such things does not always fix them. My way of dealing with delays at security is to go early enough so I don't feel upset if I must wait..
I am not sure why you sound so mad at me!

I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM!!! My smartphone was stolen May 25, 2012 in Terminal 1 around 8:30am while going through security and the police could not care less. They actually don't even listen, they just hang up on me.

I noticed shortly after it happened and even asked if they could review the tapes quickly before my flight left me, thinking I could explain to whoever took it that it was useless to them since it is not a global phone. It is a $500-$600 phone monetary value, but priceless for all the pictures (from my trip and from the week before including my niece's dance recital), music, apps, documents, etc. stored on it. I am not really sure why they would not just get to the bottom of it right away since it is no value to anyone else? So now they are having to deal with me calling them daily requesting to make a report, which I am hung up on constantly but hoping that maybe the phone and storage has not been discarded yet and they can review the security camera to see who has it.

There is definitley something going, I wonder who else has had problems. What a nasty thing to experience! I do feel very sorry for you Isabella, the item stolen from you has far more monetary and sentimental value. Please contact me to share any tips.

I have been calling the main airport line 902404704 and two police lines 913010717 and 913010900 during all of my spare time trying to get some help.

I am from the United States and there is no way anyone would be treated here the way I have been treated by the Police in Spain. We actually have police in the United States that protect people, solve issues and will take a report when appropriate.

I travel very often and have never felt so helpless and unsafe. It takes quite a bit to upset me, but this has made me furious with Spain Police laziness and incompetance.

sorry this happened Angela.
Was your phone taken out of your bag at security?

Angela, that's really awful. I've emailed a zillion people (security, clientes madrid, objetos perdidos) and have had few replies, those who have replied have confessed ignorance and referred me to each other. I was hoping to get a 'short cut' to viewing the footage.

I've made a police report (denuncia) at the airport, I called 913010900 (the Airport Comisaria line) a week ago and they told me to call back in 2 weeks if I've heard nothing from them. I guess they haven't got to my file yet. Have you made a denuncia Angela?

They are, legally, meant to investigate the denuncias, which would include viewing the security camera footage. It sure is infuriating, but all I can do is pray that it happens, and soon

I hope we both get our precious possessions back.

good luck, Isabella, it sounds like you have had a little bit of progress, anyway. There are some airports with more theft problems than others, that just happens, unfortunately, so it's not impossible they have a problem at Madrid. Once in a while you read article in the newspaper (in the US), but how they've busted up a theft ring among airport personnel (baggage handlers at some airline or whatever).

People get ignored by the police all the time where I live in the US when making minor theft reports becuase the police have more important thigns to do and often there really is little they can do. I'm sure that happens everywhere, but especially in a city of millions when talking about some theft of a smartphone at an airport (are you serious, that isn't any big crime they can focus on). I don't understand why you think a $500 phone would not be of value to anyone, people steal expensive smartphones all the time where I live. And it may be a surprise to you that some people may be able to sell or traffic in stolen goods for $500 spartphones even if they are not globally useful.

Three weeks after making my denuncia, the police have called to say they've begun looking at camera footage. Fingers crossed!

Sounds like you're making progress Isabella! It might be too costly but could you contact a local lawyer to help navigate the system?