TSA agent faces up to 10 years in jail after stealing eight iPads from the bags he's supposed to be inspecting

A baggage handler has been charged with theft by a public servant after he stole tablet computers from the luggage he was tasked with checking for security threats.

Clayton Keith Dovel, 36, of Bedford, Texas, was busted in February after he was found to have eight iPads believed to have been stolen from passengers.



Police said Dovel worked in a 'resolution room' at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, where checked bags are examined before they're placed on a flight.

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Theft: Clayton Keith Dovel, who worked at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, was placed on administrative after he allegedly stole iPads from passengers' luggage

He was suspended from his position as a TSA agent.

Borna Mojra, one of the iPad theft victims, said the crime is a breach of the public trust.

He told KXAS : 'If they’re the guys who are protecting us and they're not, who am I going to trust next?'

Police were reportedly led right to Dovel’s home in Bedford by one of the theft victims, who was able to track his stolen device.

Charged: Clayton Keith Dovel faces up to 10 years in jail if convicted

The TSA said in a statement: 'The unacceptable behavior of this individual in no way reflects the dedication of our nearly 50,000 transportation security officers who work tirelessly to keep our skies safe.'

Dovel's arrest came just days after eight TSA agents were suspended for misconduct at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.

Hidden CCTV cameras allegedly caught staff at Terminal B - which handles Delta, British Airways and Virgin - sleeping on the job.

Some of them also face possible dismissal for stealing items out of some of the bags they are paid to inspect.

If convicted, Dovel could face between two and 10 years in prison. He has been released on $5,000 bail.

