Repeat offenders stealing luggage from Nashville airport, analysis finds
Many of the alleged thieves keep coming back and taking more bags off the carousels.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Many people will travel over the weekend for Memorial Day, but a WSMV4 Investigation uncovers that you should think twice before checking a bag at the airport.
We combed through five years worth of incident reports at the Nashville International Airport and found nearly every reported theft happened at baggage claim. We also learned many of the alleged thieves keep coming back and taking more bags off the carousels.
“We think that he has some missing... some stolen bags last night.”
That was the call made to airport communications after Will Hackett showed up at the American Airlines baggage office. Hackett landed at BNA after a work trip, but his bag was nowhere to be found.
“Like this is my entire closet,” Hackett said. “All of my work clothes, everything I own was in that bag.”
The same thing happened to Nakia Covert.
“We flew down for my sister’s wedding,” Covert said. “Everything was in my luggage including my daughter’s new $1,400 laptop.”
The airlines didn’t lose the bags. They were stolen. According to our analysis, there were close to 60 reports of stolen luggage over a five-year timespan. More than a third of those reports said the thefts were committed by repeat offenders accused of “stealing luggage from the terminal on multiple occasions” who have been “previously identified in multiple” BNA thefts and those with criminal histories.
“It just tells me right there that someone was not doing their job,” Covert said.
Hackett said he only got a couple hundred bucks reimbursed. He estimated the things in his bag had a value of more than $5,000. Covert said she got nothing despite being an employee for the airline she traveled with, and we found that the guy who allegedly stole from her had done it before.
“I would say livid,” Covert said.
We asked the airport what they were doing to keep these people out. They would not do an interview but told us their Department of Public Safety has a comprehensive security program and DPS officers throughout the airport, including baggage claim. “You have to get through security to get on a plane,” Hackett said. “Why is there no security to get into the airport?”
BNA said the airlines are responsible for checked baggage.
“The only advice I would give anyone no matter what airline you travel on, is to do carry-on,” Covert said.
“I haven’t checked a bag since,” Hackett said.
Again, nearly all of the thefts happen at the bag belt, so avoid making any stops on your way to baggage claim. Try to get there right away to make sure you grab your bag as it comes out. Also, only travel with items that you can provide a receipt for to get reimbursed.
Based on our analysis, Southwest had the most reported baggage thefts over the last five years. Read their statement below.
“We are proud to be by far the largest carrier at BNA and transport considerably more checked bags than any other airline with our Customer-friendly two free checked bags policy. In 2023, Southwest ranked second among all airlines in the rate of mishandled baggage and carried millions more bags per month than any other carrier. If a customer believes they may have been a victim of a crime, they should contact local law enforcement and we will cooperate with the appropriate authorities. If the Customer submits a report to Southwest regarding missing baggage, we will for their bag using our internal procedures.” -- Chris Perry, Southwest Airlines
We are waiting to hear back from American Airlines and Frontier. Statements from Delta and United can be found below.
“While matters involving pilfered baggage are incredibly rare as reported by the DOT, Delta has zero tolerance for unlawful conduct. In the case where a bag is reported lost or pilfered, we will work with airport and law enforcement officials to address these situations and connect directly with our customers on an individual basis.” - Drake X. Castañeda, Delta Air Lines, Inc.
“The steps to file a claim with our baggage team are outlined on our website for customers who experience an issue with their checked bag. We encourage passengers to file a report with law enforcement if their bag or items within their baggage have gone missing. Additionally, our bag tracking procedure is continuously evolving – we now notify customers with checked bags when their bag has been loaded onto the plane, unloaded and ready to be picked up at baggage claim. These notifications are sent via text message or can be found within the United mobile app.” - Erin Jankowski, United Media Relations
The full statement from BNA can be found below.
“Our Department of Public Safety (DPS) works daily to execute our comprehensive security program. As highlighted in the news coverage, there were regrettably seven confirmed incidents of baggage theft reported between January 1, 2018, and December 18, 2023. During this period, Nashville International Airport® (BNA®) handled almost 50 million passenger bags (which equates to 0.000014% percent). While the responsibility for checked baggage resides with individual airlines, BNA collaborates closely with its airline partners to ensure a secure travel experience for all its passengers. Additionally, BNA prioritizes passenger security with the presence of our DPS officers within baggage claim areas, throughout the terminal, and throughout all BNA property. We remain committed to providing a safe and enjoyable environment for today and generations to come.”
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