Narrative:

While turning base to final; purser called and said that someone had stolen a flight attendant's wallet with identification and passport. First officer advised we would get back to them on the ground. After landing we pulled into penalty box; parked and captain called purser for details. Spoke to flight attendant whose wallet was taken. Flight attendant stated that he had his bag on last row of seats when 'prepare for landing' announcement was made. He walked forward and aft; and upon returning found his bag zipped open and wallet with passport; flight attendant identification; jumpseat card; identification; etc; missing. After conferring with first officer and purser; captain made announcement to passenger that wallet was missing; it was a security issue; and left door open to possible mistake. Advised that she would walk through cabin and ask everyone to see if they could find it. One passenger said that apparently autistic boy was in area. Captain spoke to mother of boy and advised that she would understand if there was a misunderstanding. Mother had already spoken to boy (and continued to do so); and assured his innocence; although the boy was restless and unable to situation still (and had been in area). Had law enforcement and customer service meet the flight. Asked people to check again and see if it had 'appeared' near them. After conferring with ground security personnel and law enforcement (who said it was 'just lost property' even though it has flight attendant's passport); passenger were allowed to deplane. Note: the flight attendant whose wallet; identification; passport taken was a young male -- just the size and build that an al qaeda would try to impersonate. The details of this well-timed disappearance seemed to be the work of a professional thief. If so; it is now one heck of a lot easier for a bad guy to get past security somewhere. Surely there has to be a better way... Should flight attendant stuff be in a locked compartment during flight?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IN FLT; A FLT ATTENDANT'S WALLET WITH ACR ID; PASSPORT; JUMPSEAT CARD; ETC; IS STOLEN FROM FLT BAG.

Narrative: WHILE TURNING BASE TO FINAL; PURSER CALLED AND SAID THAT SOMEONE HAD STOLEN A FLT ATTENDANT'S WALLET WITH ID AND PASSPORT. FO ADVISED WE WOULD GET BACK TO THEM ON THE GND. AFTER LNDG WE PULLED INTO PENALTY BOX; PARKED AND CAPT CALLED PURSER FOR DETAILS. SPOKE TO FLT ATTENDANT WHOSE WALLET WAS TAKEN. FLT ATTENDANT STATED THAT HE HAD HIS BAG ON LAST ROW OF SEATS WHEN 'PREPARE FOR LNDG' ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE. HE WALKED FORWARD AND AFT; AND UPON RETURNING FOUND HIS BAG ZIPPED OPEN AND WALLET WITH PASSPORT; FLT ATTENDANT ID; JUMPSEAT CARD; IDENTIFICATION; ETC; MISSING. AFTER CONFERRING WITH FO AND PURSER; CAPT MADE ANNOUNCEMENT TO PAX THAT WALLET WAS MISSING; IT WAS A SECURITY ISSUE; AND LEFT DOOR OPEN TO POSSIBLE MISTAKE. ADVISED THAT SHE WOULD WALK THROUGH CABIN AND ASK EVERYONE TO SEE IF THEY COULD FIND IT. ONE PAX SAID THAT APPARENTLY AUTISTIC BOY WAS IN AREA. CAPT SPOKE TO MOTHER OF BOY AND ADVISED THAT SHE WOULD UNDERSTAND IF THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING. MOTHER HAD ALREADY SPOKEN TO BOY (AND CONTINUED TO DO SO); AND ASSURED HIS INNOCENCE; ALTHOUGH THE BOY WAS RESTLESS AND UNABLE TO SIT STILL (AND HAD BEEN IN AREA). HAD LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CUSTOMER SVC MEET THE FLT. ASKED PEOPLE TO CHK AGAIN AND SEE IF IT HAD 'APPEARED' NEAR THEM. AFTER CONFERRING WITH GND SECURITY PERSONNEL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT (WHO SAID IT WAS 'JUST LOST PROPERTY' EVEN THOUGH IT HAS FLT ATTENDANT'S PASSPORT); PAX WERE ALLOWED TO DEPLANE. NOTE: THE FLT ATTENDANT WHOSE WALLET; ID; PASSPORT TAKEN WAS A YOUNG MALE -- JUST THE SIZE AND BUILD THAT AN AL QAEDA WOULD TRY TO IMPERSONATE. THE DETAILS OF THIS WELL-TIMED DISAPPEARANCE SEEMED TO BE THE WORK OF A PROFESSIONAL THIEF. IF SO; IT IS NOW ONE HECK OF A LOT EASIER FOR A BAD GUY TO GET PAST SECURITY SOMEWHERE. SURELY THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY... SHOULD FLT ATTENDANT STUFF BE IN A LOCKED COMPARTMENT DURING FLT?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.