Skip to main content

Southwest Airlines Community

Laptop stolen out of backpack IN Chicago Midwest Airport

Smivy
Explorer C

I’m sad to say that I had a laptop stolen out of my backpack today. I got some food between gates B10 & B12 at around 6:05pm. I sat down at a charging station before quickly gathering my phone and phone charger and headed towards my gate to catch a flight #653 to Dallas. I realized I had left my backpack at the charging station between gates B10 & B12 and rushed back to that spot at 6:10.

 

I was happy to see that it was still there. I noticed some of the same people sitting in the area, let out a sigh of relief, and headed back to catch my flight.

 

I looked into my backpack and noticed that my work laptop was missing. I ran back to the same spot and saw the same people and called 911, who transferred me to the airport police. An officer showed up at 6:15 and wasn’t very helpful. I filed a claim and asked him to check the security footage. He said that is done by another department and couldn’t request for it to be reviewed. 

 

I have my suspicions of who took it, but I had a flight I was going to be late for if I waited around for a sergeant to come. I ran back to my flight and barely made it.

 

Can someone please point me in the right direction on how to handle this? Again, this happened at Chicago MDW at the charging station between gates B10&B12 at around 6:00-6:15. I’ve filed a police report but that isn’t going to go anywhere unless I get some help from Southwest.

 

Kind regards,

Hayden

3 REPLIES 3

Re: Laptop stolen out of backpack IN Chicago Midwest Airport

dfwskier
Aviator A

Sorry to hear that your laptop was stolen. 

 

I suspect that video of the area is controlled by airport police/security, and not Southwest. Unfortunately, I have no idea how to contact them. I guess I'd call Midway's general number and ask for airport police: (773) 838-0600

Re: Laptop stolen out of backpack IN Chicago Midwest Airport

Passenger1C
Aviator C

@Smivy I have been in your shoes before. Not only do you feel victimized, but violated. Sorry you are having to go through this. You did all the right thing by talking to the Police and filing a report. I personally would not have called 911, but I understand the sense of urgency you needed. 

 

I do have a question on why you think SWA should get involved?

 

What is your Company’s policy on stolen equipment? My Company would want the Police report, end of story. 

 

Again, sorry this happened, and I hope it does get returned. 

 


SWA Passenger, Community Champion

Re: Laptop stolen out of backpack IN Chicago Midwest Airport

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@Smivy wrote:

I’m sad to say that I had a laptop stolen out of my backpack today. I got some food between gates B10 & B12 at around 6:05pm. I sat down at a charging station before quickly gathering my phone and phone charger and headed towards my gate to catch a flight #653 to Dallas. I realized I had left my backpack at the charging station between gates B10 & B12 and rushed back to that spot at 6:10.

 

I was happy to see that it was still there. I noticed some of the same people sitting in the area, let out a sigh of relief, and headed back to catch my flight.

 

I looked into my backpack and noticed that my work laptop was missing. I ran back to the same spot and saw the same people and called 911, who transferred me to the airport police. An officer showed up at 6:15 and wasn’t very helpful. I filed a claim and asked him to check the security footage. He said that is done by another department and couldn’t request for it to be reviewed. 

 

I have my suspicions of who took it, but I had a flight I was going to be late for if I waited around for a sergeant to come. I ran back to my flight and barely made it.

 

Can someone please point me in the right direction on how to handle this? Again, this happened at Chicago MDW at the charging station between gates B10&B12 at around 6:00-6:15. I’ve filed a police report but that isn’t going to go anywhere unless I get some help from Southwest.

 



That's a tough situation, I would have been tempted to continue following up and miss the flight depending how hard it would be to catch another one to Dallas later. 

 

That said, keep following up with Midway and Midway police remotely, I don't think Southwest will be able to add much other than checking their own lost and found. If you were on a connecting flight at Midway and used your computer on the inbound leg, file a lost item report in case it was left on the inbound aircraft.

 

I wanted to double check, only because I have seen this happen before:

  1. Did you have the computer out at the charging point? If not, think where else it might have gone missing between the time you noticed and you last remember handling it - for instance it might be in the lost and found at the checkpoint if it came out there. If you were at a hotel call them. 
  2. If someone knabbed it and then decided after looking at it that it was too secure to hack or that it wouldn't be worth it to them, they may have ditched it where it could be found by custodial staff.
  3. If someone snagged your laptop out of your bag while you were getting  food, they may not have waited around while you came back, I'd be less suspicious of anyone that was still sitting there in the same positions...but you mentioned having some suspicions, you'd need to convince the officer to a high degree before he'd be able to search anyone for it.

 

I hope that it is found successfully.

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.