TSA Foils Alleged Kidnapping

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

Caroline joined Boston-based SmarterTravel in 2011 after living in Ireland, London, and Manhattan. She's traveled to all seven continents, jumped out of planes, and bungeed off bridges in the pursuit of a good story. She loves exploring off-the-beaten path destinations, anything outdoorsy, and all things adventure.

Her stories have also appeared online at USA Today, Business Insider, Huffington Post, Yahoo, Boston.com, TripAdvisor, Buzzfeed, Jetsetter, Oyster, Airfarewatchdog, and others.

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Sure, we’ve been a little harsh on the TSA at times, but we’re also happy to note when the agency do something good. Or in this case, something pretty awesome.

CNN reports that two of the TSA’s behavior detection officers helped rescue an allegedly kidnapped woman at Miami International Airport. The officers apparently noticed that something was not right with the 25-year old woman, and separated her from her four travel partners. The woman reportedly first told the officers that she was okay, but after further questioning admitted that she had been kidnapped by her travel companions.

Two of the women, a 19-year-old and a 25-year-old, both from New Jersey, were charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment, strong-arm robbery, aggravated assault, and petty theft.

CNN cites a police report which detailed the kidnapping, saying that the two women picked a fight with the victim, beat her, and then stole money from her bank account, before taking her to the airport. There, the TSA workers noticed that the victim seemed afraid of her travel group, and questioned her.

Are you surprised to see the TSA do something good? Tell us in the comments, or share your own feel-good TSA stories.

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