A $9,000 Cardier watch vanished at a TSA checkpoint. Minutes later, police were boarding a plane. >> I just passed through and then I took it off. >> Okay. >> And now >> and I realized after half an hour that I can take, >> but >> Okay. So, you've been gone for about half an hour before you realized you didn't grab it. Okay. >> So, half an hour. Been half an hour since you come through here. >> Yes. Maybe more. But I realized after an hour >> and it was this lane in >> one of the officers ended up putting it up there where I lost the bound is putting up where >> check right here >> for the camera to review this. >> Okay. Hey, um yeah, one of the TSA people said they they found it and set up here on the counter. Uh yeah. And uh and apparently >> so I don't know if you can see where I'm at. >> First of all, I didn't notice what I was >> Yes. >> I know who. Hey, who set it up here? >> I did. >> You did. Don't ever do that again. >> Okay. Either like a watch or something that's val got value to it. Set it back here. Okay. Um, >> so >> okay. >> How how what time did you set it up here? >> You know, >> like an hour ago. >> Like an hour ago. >> Huh? >> Yeah. But but you what you got to understand there's a lot of people coming through here and if they set something valuable up here >> Yeah. >> No no no. It's it's no big I mean it's not too big of a deal. >> It was on the bill. is on the taken from over here or over here. >> Understand. Yeah, I understand. But I mean, if you think something of value, just set it back here. The passenger will come back for, you know. So, okay. I'm sorry. Um, so they're looking to see an hour ago. >> Okay. You get all the information? Yes, I'm I'm >> number address and then value the watch and what the watch was. >> Yeah, if you've got a picture of the watch, it's awesome. >> Yeah, I'm going to have you put your your home address in there as well. >> This is the This is the watch. Okay. >> And then it is going to be a reporter test. So get the name the name of the watcher. >> All right. So go ahead and put your home address in there. >> All right. So that's the report number. So yeah, that's the airport number. >> Do you have approximate value? >> Uh I'm not really sure, but it's like 6K maybe. >> Huh? >> 6K. It should be 6K. >> 6,000. >> Yeah, it should. I mean, >> okay. We just we just need to do it for a report. >> So try to get, you know, to get an idea what what the value of it is because that determines the level of audience. So, I mean, you know, you can tell me what you think it might be and then then we go from there. Okay. >> He doesn't really come. Okay. Okay. >> Yeah, it's on here. Someone came by. >> So, I I can I >> can I go now? >> Yeah. Yeah, you're good to go. Just take that report number. I'll do it all in. Okay. If I have any questions, I'll give you a call or an email. Thank you. >> No problem. Thank you. >> Hey, just real quick, I think Alex and Mary just got boarded. >> Do you know? >> Not sure. >> I'm not sure. >> Okay. All right. We're going to take a look. Said he come. Should he come to gate 16? >> He said he was last seen. Amen. I'll walk you out. If you want to call, I'll walk you out. He Okay, it's 6:36. Okay. Well, we're on the We're on the uh airplane right now. We're going down to it. So, that's what I was calling about. Make see if he boarded. So, we're going on the airplane now. Okay. Thank you. Hey, sir. >> Hey, >> I'm officer sex. You mind stepping off? >> You got your bags? >> Go ahead and grab your Yeah, your bags as well. electronic stuff. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I'm going to have him step off the airplane and have a discussion with him and then we'll go from there. How you doing, sir? I'm officer Sykes. Um, this is Officer Sykes. Can you tell me what you picked up off the counter at the checkpoint? >> Yes. >> Okay. Is this yours? >> No. >> Then why did you pick it up? >> I tried to find the lady. >> Was it yours? >> I don't know. >> You don't know. But you just picked it up and left. You picked it up off the counter, >> but it wasn't yours. Correct. >> No, it wasn't mine. >> It wasn't mine. Why did you pick it up? >> Because I say I'm going to give it to the the lady that was there. I didn't find it. >> But lady, so why didn't you take it back to the checkpoint? >> Because I thought I couldn't give it to the lady. >> But >> that's why I >> But you didn't know where the lady was, right? >> I saw her. >> I saw her. I saw the lady. And actually, you committed theft. >> Committed. >> You committed theft. >> What's that? >> What's that? >> That's taking someone's property that doesn't belong to you. >> Yeah, but >> it doesn't matter. >> No, they're right. >> It's up to you. Whatever you want to do. >> You're right. You're right. Another reason. >> So, what's the reason? Why'd you get it on the on the planet? Why not take it back to the checkpoint? I didn't think about it that I just say I'm going to give it to the girl. I walk around and I say I give it in Boston when I arrive there. I >> She's not on your airplane. You know what airplanes she's going on? >> Hey, you know where she's going out at me? >> I have a picture of war. >> Okay. >> Sorry, sir. >> It's up to you. Whatever you want. >> I don't want to I I I don't Give me the watch. >> Yeah. I don't need to to to get off that. I got I don't want to say that. I live where I don't have >> what you can I'll let you go on and give me you got a license on you. >> Yes, sir. >> Yes, sir. >> I don't really need to >> I I get that, but the fact is that >> I'm so sorry. >> You took off the counter. >> Yeah. I'm so sorry. >> You kept it. >> Yeah. >> So, you're sorry now because we caught up with you. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. You you call me up. You call me by the foot by the >> So sorry. >> That's not an excuse. >> Yeah, I know. That's no excuse, but I tie. >> No, you you should never picked it up. That's the problem. >> I'm so sorry. >> I say I'm going to get over there. should be all >> recovering the watch didn't automatically erase what had already happened. By this point, investigators had surveillance footage, the recovered property, and the passenger's own statements describing how he took possession of the watch. For officers, the focus had shifted from recovering valuable property to determining whether the evidence supported a theft charge. Okay, let me have the watch for here. Okay, I'm going go get this thing to her. We're going to walk up here to the gate. >> And she's going out at 14. At 14. We'll be right back. >> You good? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Hey, how you going? >> Good morning. See, I never remember this past sto. Thank you. Get this girl's watch back here. Uh, she's on here, so try to find her. >> Hello. Hey, how y'all doing? How you doing? a young lady for uh got a watch back for right through this if I find her. >> There you go. >> How did you find it? >> We found the guy that took it. >> Who? >> The guy that took it. >> Oh, okay. >> He said he was trying he's trying to find find you, but that was a lie. >> It was the guy, right? >> The guy with you. >> Yeah, I understood. So we're we're arresting him right now and uh >> I over there. >> Okay. So >> guy long hair. >> No. >> No. Okay. >> Older gentleman. So okay. All right. You have a good day. >> Okay. >> Did you say you found it? >> Well, we had a guy stole it. >> So we found the guy, got it back from him and took it up here. >> This morning before daylight, somebody stole her watch. >> Oh, yeah. >> Like right off. Well, what happened was she left in the ticket on the >> belt belt >> at the checkin. >> Yeah. >> So, they found it. >> Yeah. >> They set it on the counter. Then this guy walked by and picked it up and >> so anyway, that's great. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, MCR camera people found him. So, >> I figured it out. >> Great job. So, >> so sorry, Mr. >> I Yeah, but you're you're only apologizing now cuz we saw you. We got you on the phone. >> Yeah, but I I I I say if I don't find it there around here, I'm going to give it in in Boston and say, "I found this." And >> why why would you do that then? Why would you pick it up in Dallas then drop it off at a completely different airport with people that they didn't come through >> to say you found this? Yeah, but >> I mean that doesn't make any sense there. >> That was my le Sorry. >> It was already sitting on the counter at the TSA desk. >> But if you see the the the video, you can see that it was looking to get well around that. >> I didn't find you. You you >> Okay. See, that's great if you then return it to the location that you got it. But instead, you put it in your pocket and you got on your phone. >> That was my mistake. So, here's I'm going to I'm going to just be upfront with you right now where what we're looking at, okay? Because it the theft that's not a cheap watch. You understand that watch that you took is multiple thousands of dollars. >> What? >> It's thousands of dollars. >> No. >> Yes. That watch that you picked up is thousands. Okay. But that's what you get when you just pick up property that's not yours. You don't know. And then it ends up being something that's thousands of dollars. >> The lady who owns it is boarding a flight right now. If we're not able to get that watch for her, >> I can send it. >> This is gonna be offense. >> I sent it to her. >> You You're not going to be doing anything with it. And you had no idea who she was. >> No. No. >> I found it. I say I found this going to find the girl. >> But even even when you found it, you didn't find it. It was sitting on the TSA desk. It was sitting up on the desk. You walk by. And we have video of you just walking by looking at it and then grabbing it. >> How did you know it wasn't one of the people that were right there in the the area? >> You didn't you didn't look anywhere inside of the checkpoint to see if there's somebody. >> And it just doesn't it doesn't make any sense. It doesn't add up. There's no logic to it. >> Okay. So, >> no, you're fine. >> Okay. All right. >> The launch and everything. >> Yeah, she's got it. So, she's happy. So good. >> Go ahead and turn around for me. >> Go ahead. Go ahead and turn around. >> Put this down. >> Down. >> Turn around. Turn around. >> Put your hands behind your back. >> Sir, are you being arrested for theft of the watch? >> This wrist too much. Make sure. Here you go. Good. Excuse the phone. >> In the end, the owner got her watch back before leaving the airport. But for the passenger, a decision that may have taken only a few seconds led to a criminal arrest. Cases like this are a reminder that finding valuable property doesn't make it yours. The safest decision is always to leave it with the people responsible for returning it to its owner. What do you think? Was this an honest mistake or did the evidence clearly point to theft? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. And if you enjoy documentary style breakdowns of real police body cam footage, subscribe to Dash Cam Doss for more real investigations.