STI Airport - Watch your baggage

JimW

JimW

Active member
May 21, 2014
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I know we've all heard it before, but keep an eye on your bags at all times in the airport. Flew down from Newark (EWR) to Santiago (STI) last week. We were a family of 7 so had a lot of bags. After clearing immigration at STI and claiming our bags, there's a baggage scanner when exiting the airport (before you exit where the car rental counters are). The staff there took our bags off their carts to put them in the x-ray machine. They tried to rush us (my family and me) to the exit-side of the machine which raised suspicion. After the bags came through the machine they quickly loaded them on our carts and pointed us to the exit. It seemed too rushed so I did a bag count. No surprises, one carry-on was missing. I turn around and see one of the x-ray workers trying to wheel it over to an office on across the hall. No doubt, they saw the electronics we had in the bag (had an iPad, Bluetooth speaker, small laptop etc.) and thought it would be a quick pay-day. My wife (who's Dominican) shouted at them and once they saw we saw the bag brought it back trying to claim "they didn't know it was ours and were just going to 'keep it safe' in their office". Y'ok! Just a reminder folks regardless of what airport you're in (DR, USA, or anywhere in the world), have a count of your bags, check often, don't leave things unattended-even for a moment, stay aware and if something doesn't 'feel right', it probably isn't so speak up.
 
J

jd426

Gold
Dec 12, 2009
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Wow, that is seriously messed up.. is that exactly how it went down ?? or did you maybe start walking OUT not realizing you were one short.
and THE EXACT bag with the Expensive Electronics just happened to be the one they pulled aside ?

How much time elapsed between the time you had possession of you Luggage AFTER the Xray, and you discovered one missing ?

I would call some people higher up about this ..
And they put on such a BIG SHOW about matching the bag Tag # bar code thing , with the sticker on your Boarding pass (thats real important btw, do not lose your boarding pass with those matching bag stickers)

.. and then they try to hit you for your stuff just before exit ? that is just nuts .
 
Garyexpat

Garyexpat

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Sep 7, 2012
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Good for you for staying aware. They count on the excitement of arriving at your destination and being happy to just be off the plan to distract you enough to miss it, especially with as many bags as you had.
I agree that it would have been good to hit up their boss (even though he/she might be in on it) and let them know what happened.
 
carlos

carlos

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May 29, 2002
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JimW said:
I know we've all heard it before, but keep an eye on your bags at all times in the airport. Flew down from Newark (EWR) to Santiago (STI) last week. We were a family of 7 so had a lot of bags. After clearing immigration at STI and claiming our bags, there's a baggage scanner when exiting the airport (before you exit where the car rental counters are). The staff there took our bags off their carts to put them in the x-ray machine. They tried to rush us (my family and me) to the exit-side of the machine which raised suspicion. After the bags came through the machine they quickly loaded them on our carts and pointed us to the exit. It seemed too rushed so I did a bag count. No surprises, one carry-on was missing. I turn around and see one of the x-ray workers trying to wheel it over to an office on across the hall. No doubt, they saw the electronics we had in the bag (had an iPad, Bluetooth speaker, small laptop etc.) and thought it would be a quick pay-day. My wife (who's Dominican) shouted at them and once they saw we saw the bag brought it back trying to claim "they didn't know it was ours and were just going to 'keep it safe' in their office". Y'ok! Just a reminder folks regardless of what airport you're in (DR, USA, or anywhere in the world), have a count of your bags, check often, don't leave things unattended-even for a moment, stay aware and if something doesn't 'feel right', it probably isn't so speak up.
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curious as to how much any of this ended up costing you. Besides a big headache.

was something actually stolen?
 
JimW

JimW

Active member
May 21, 2014
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Didn't lose anything

Luckily, we didn't lose anything. We noticed it as soon as we started walking away from the x-ray machine. Total time <1min. I felt right away something didn't "feel" right, that's when I had my kids do a bag count. My wife and 2 of my kids are Dominican so we travel there a couple times a year so we try to stay on our toes. In this case, the guy operating the x-ray machine clearly saw electronics in the bag and along with a couple of the security bag handlers, decided to try and pull a quick one. In the end, they didn't get anything and I really did think of demanding to see the head of the airport and filing a complaint but at that point I was more concerned with getting my family and our stuff out of there asap. Since they knew what were in the bags, you have to be careful that one of them doesn't try to call their friends who show up on motoconchos outside or when you rent the car to try again at a bag snatch. Even when we went to the car rental counter, we said we were heading down to Santo Domingo (which we weren't, we were heading up to the North Coast). You never know who will be calling ahead hoping to catch you at a red light etc.
 
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bigbird

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May 1, 2005
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I don't doubt your story but parts are a bit confusing to me. In order for them to see what is in the luggage it had to enter the x-ray machine. Once that happened there are only two choices. Either the luggage comes out the machine on the exit side where all your other luggage came out or they would have to put the machine in reverse and take the luggage off the belt from the entry side which would cause some type of backup with other peoples luggage already on the belt.

Seems quite risky to me for employess to try something this stupid. Probably a half dozen people would have to be in on the scheme to rip you off and share the meager profit.

In that one minute you walked away from the machine possibly the people behind you said, no that is not our piece of luggage so in one minute time it became unclaimed luggage.
 
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bigbird

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May 1, 2005
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AlterEgo said:
It was a carry on.  

Is STI the only airport who x-ray upon arrival after you pick up bags????  I've never seen that at SDQ. 
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They will x-ray at SDQ ONLY if you are one of the lucky ones they select to check for illegal stuff. To the right of where you hand in your customs form is the x-ray machine (terminal B). You load your luggage on the belt and you take it off. If it is your lucky day they pull you to the side and open your luggage up for further inspection.
 
D

DR Solar

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Nov 21, 2016
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As far is I know, which isn't much. At one time? .. POP tried a program of ALL bags leaving the airport being scanned. It didn't last long. They have the "check your bags lines" that never do much and a US $5.would get you through without missing a step. Quite frankly, we just ignore them with a couple of nice words, a smile and keep going. Never been stopped. Never paid. Sometimes we just mix in looking like regular tourist that are "sun struck".

In another post I talked about my wife going to Europe on AirBerlin. Being a longer trip and needing warmer cloths, she had a checked bag. It did not arrive so the airline search was on. It never left POP. But my wife is moving around to different areas and hotels. AirBerlin did a great job of delivering her bag at her second hotel at 2 AM. She was checking out that morning. Must give AirBerlin a big thumbs up for getting the job done.

Her bag and contents not disturbed at all.

Keep in mind that she/we carry anything of value on our person or carry on that never leaves our sight.... never. As the OP noted; if something is off, stand your ground, learn and then do.

Good job JimW.
 
carlos

carlos

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May 29, 2002
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JimW said:
Luckily, we didn't lose anything. We noticed it as soon as we started walking away from the x-ray machine. Total time <1min. I felt right away something didn't "feel" right, that's when I had my kids do a bag count. My wife and 2 of my kids are Dominican so we travel there a couple times a year so we try to stay on our toes. In this case, the guy operating the x-ray machine clearly saw electronics in the bag and along with a couple of the security bag handlers, decided to try and pull a quick one. In the end, they didn't get anything and I really did think of demanding to see the head of the airport and filing a complaint but at that point I was more concerned with getting my family and our stuff out of there asap. Since they knew what were in the bags, you have to be careful that one of them doesn't try to call their friends who show up on motoconchos outside or when you rent the car to try again at a bag snatch. Even when we went to the car rental counter, we said we were heading down to Santo Domingo (which we weren't, we were heading up to the North Coast). You never know who will be calling ahead hoping to catch you at a red light etc.
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Thanks for explaining and I am glad you were aware and nothing was stolen. I have never had this experience but but maybe they saw a meal ticket with you and your family,
 
T

TropicalPaul

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Sep 3, 2013
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They always pull me over to X-Ray all my bags (checked and carry-on) at Punta Cana if I am travelling on my own. If I am travelling with anyone else I go straight through. I think the rule there is that anyone Dominican or any foreigner on their own is checked, everyone else goes through.
 
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TropicalPaul

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Sep 3, 2013
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I would advise anyone who has a bad experience like this in a Dominican airport to report it to the tourist office in their home country. I had a credit card cloned when I was in Punta Cana airport, I reported it to the DR Tourist Office and I know that they took it very seriously as they reported back to me. A lot of rich Dominicans owe their fortune to tourism and anything which messes with that gravy train is treated seriously.
 
S

sosuafrank

Newbie
Feb 27, 2017
5
1
3
Several years ago I flew from STI to MIA on American Airlines. The x-ray scanner for departing passenger's luggage was located in the check in area. I watched as my piece of luggage went through the scanner. The person operating the scanner stopped the conveyor after my suite case went through, looked at the tag the agent had put on it, and marked down something on a piece of paper. It seemed like a strange thing to do, but I didn't think anything more about it.
When I picked up my suite case in Miami, I noticed that the zipper had a space of about five inches where it had come apart. Then something clicked, and I realised what had happened at the x-ray machine in STI. Stupidly, I had packed a digital camera in the center of my suite case, and it was missing.
The zipper had a secure lock, so the thief had to know the camera was there without opening the suite case. It became obvious that the operator of the x-ray scanner had seen the camera, written down the information from the airline luggage tag, and passed it on to a baggage handler somewhere down the line. That person pried apart a short section of the zipper, reached in, and took the camera.
Since then have heard of several cases of theft from luggage when travelling through STI
 
malko

malko

Campesino !! :)
Jan 12, 2013
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I always come back with my story in a thread like this.
It was coming to the dr, GVA-MAD-SD...... a case had been " visited", a pair of sneakers was missing, cheap(ish) stuff brought over to gift.
Thankfully my wife is mas tigre que los tigres and they got away with 2 left-feet shoes ( or right feet, cant remember )........ diffrent feet packed in diffrent cases...... only when travelling to the dr !!!! :) :) :) :) :)
 
J

jd426

Gold
Dec 12, 2009
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Well I guess now we know why Dominicans seem to love that Shrink wrap /Saran Wrap machine service... not bulletproof, but at least it is a little bit of a deterrent , for checked bags anyway.
 
L

LTSteve

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Jul 9, 2010
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JimW said:
I know we've all heard it before, but keep an eye on your bags at all times in the airport. Flew down from Newark (EWR) to Santiago (STI) last week. We were a family of 7 so had a lot of bags. After clearing immigration at STI and claiming our bags, there's a baggage scanner when exiting the airport (before you exit where the car rental counters are). The staff there took our bags off their carts to put them in the x-ray machine. They tried to rush us (my family and me) to the exit-side of the machine which raised suspicion. After the bags came through the machine they quickly loaded them on our carts and pointed us to the exit. It seemed too rushed so I did a bag count. No surprises, one carry-on was missing. I turn around and see one of the x-ray workers trying to wheel it over to an office on across the hall. No doubt, they saw the electronics we had in the bag (had an iPad, Bluetooth speaker, small laptop etc.) and thought it would be a quick pay-day. My wife (who's Dominican) shouted at them and once they saw we saw the bag brought it back trying to claim "they didn't know it was ours and were just going to 'keep it safe' in their office". Y'ok! Just a reminder folks regardless of what airport you're in (DR, USA, or anywhere in the world), have a count of your bags, check often, don't leave things unattended-even for a moment, stay aware and if something doesn't 'feel right', it probably isn't so speak up.
Click to expand...

Just common sense. I always carry any electronics, such as, a laptop on the plane as carry on. I would never put a computer or I pad into my luggage to be checked in. That is just inviting someone to open your bag and take that out. CARRY ON those type of electronics. Also when coming through immigration there are always baggage handlers that want to grab your luggage and wisk you out of the airport. They are looking for a big tip, especially if you have a large party. Be carefull on how much you tip these people. I have seen them ask just about any amount from un-knowing "gringos". Don't let these guys bully you into rushing out the door and then pay them, $20, $30usds or more for 5 minutes of work,
 
S

SKY

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Apr 11, 2004
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LTSteve said:
Just common sense. I always carry any electronics, such as, a laptop on the plane as carry on. I would never put a computer or I pad into my luggage to be checked in. That is just inviting someone to open your bag and take that out. CARRY ON those type of electronics. Also when coming through immigration there are always baggage handlers that want to grab your luggage and wisk you out of the airport. They are looking for a big tip, especially if you have a large party. Be carefull on how much you tip these people. I have seen them ask just about any amount from un-knowing "gringos". Don't let these guys bully you into rushing out the door and then pay them, $20, $30usds or more for 5 minutes of work,
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The bag that was tampered with was a CARRY ON he said. But all bags went through the X Ray, not just the checked ones.
 
S

suspiro2

Member
Aug 24, 2012
13
0
6
AlterEgo said:
It was a carry on.  

Is STI the only airport who x-ray upon arrival after you pick up bags????  I've never seen that at SDQ. 
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My carry-on was x-rayed upon entering SDQ, right before walking out of the baggage claim area. I had 4 watches in my bag they wanted to see. First they asked me how many watches I had, then they opened my bag to look at the watches. After I zippered up my bag they had me wait for a supervisor who opened my bag again to look at the watches, the supervisor called El Jefe through a walkie-talkie and he came over to look at the watches. I asked "cual es el problema aqui?" I told him they were not new watches and for my personal use. He just looked at me and said "Esta bien, gracias. Se puede ir." I was furious and I know they knew that I could have easily made a scene. I am a Newyorican and speak the language fluently, as a matter a fact being married to a Dominican for 30 years I sound like a Domicana right along with the neck roll and attitude. By the way I was traveling by myself.
 
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