Narrative:

I was in the aisle serving beverages and turned to see the passenger in row X with his hand in my liquor drawer. I told him this was not 'self service.' as we proceeded to return to the galley, he and his wife stopped me and asked for a supervisor. The captain was informed of the attempted theft, and decided to speak to them. When the captain returned, he stated the passenger were rude and belligerent to him. He decided to call in the local police and a representative from flight service to speak with the passenger. Reports were taken from the passenger and myself. I think it needs to be clear to people that they cannot just help themselves to catering items, especially liquor. They are not aware that it is theft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that the man offered no excuse for rifling through her wine drawer, that also contained snacks. She didn't know if he was after the snacks or the wine, so she offered him another snack, which he declined. When she told the captain, he said 'I'll go right back and talk to them.' the reporter said it wasn't necessary, that it was no big deal. He insisted, however. When the captain went back, the wife was the more verbally abusive one. 3 police officers met the flight. One talked to the man and the captain, another talked to the wife and a third talked to the reporter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT RPT, B737, SFO-LAX. PAX CAUGHT TRYING TO STEAL OUT OF LIQUOR CART IN THE AISLE THAT RPTR WAS WORKING. CAPT TALKED TO PAX, POLICE MET FLT.

Narrative: I WAS IN THE AISLE SERVING BEVERAGES AND TURNED TO SEE THE PAX IN ROW X WITH HIS HAND IN MY LIQUOR DRAWER. I TOLD HIM THIS WAS NOT 'SELF SVC.' AS WE PROCEEDED TO RETURN TO THE GALLEY, HE AND HIS WIFE STOPPED ME AND ASKED FOR A SUPVR. THE CAPT WAS INFORMED OF THE ATTEMPTED THEFT, AND DECIDED TO SPEAK TO THEM. WHEN THE CAPT RETURNED, HE STATED THE PAX WERE RUDE AND BELLIGERENT TO HIM. HE DECIDED TO CALL IN THE LCL POLICE AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM FLT SVC TO SPEAK WITH THE PAX. RPTS WERE TAKEN FROM THE PAX AND MYSELF. I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE CLR TO PEOPLE THAT THEY CANNOT JUST HELP THEMSELVES TO CATERING ITEMS, ESPECIALLY LIQUOR. THEY ARE NOT AWARE THAT IT IS THEFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT THE MAN OFFERED NO EXCUSE FOR RIFLING THROUGH HER WINE DRAWER, THAT ALSO CONTAINED SNACKS. SHE DIDN'T KNOW IF HE WAS AFTER THE SNACKS OR THE WINE, SO SHE OFFERED HIM ANOTHER SNACK, WHICH HE DECLINED. WHEN SHE TOLD THE CAPT, HE SAID 'I'LL GO RIGHT BACK AND TALK TO THEM.' THE RPTR SAID IT WASN'T NECESSARY, THAT IT WAS NO BIG DEAL. HE INSISTED, HOWEVER. WHEN THE CAPT WENT BACK, THE WIFE WAS THE MORE VERBALLY ABUSIVE ONE. 3 POLICE OFFICERS MET THE FLT. ONE TALKED TO THE MAN AND THE CAPT, ANOTHER TALKED TO THE WIFE AND A THIRD TALKED TO THE RPTR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.