Pens, blankets and cutlery from Air Force One are highly sought-after souvenirs among those who get the chance to travel with the US President. But now, the White House has put its foot down against petty theft.

It is one of the world's most famous aeroplanes, and few have the privilege of travelling aboard the American President's aeroplane, Air Force One.

Therefore, it's perhaps not so strange that those who have flown on the plane have not infrequently ”accidentally” taken a souvenir from the trip. The most frequent shoplifters are the journalists covering the president who get to accompany him on trips.

The souvenir hunt has become so frequent that the White House wants to nip it in the bud., Politico reports. The drop occurred after a trip in February, according to the news website, where staff reported unusually high shrinkage.

The White House press office then contacted all journalists who had travelled on Air Force One on the relevant trip and announced that they could discreetly ”help” if anyone had accidentally taken an item home with them.

They received a reply from a person who had brought a pillow – which was then returned at a secret meeting by a statue of former president Andrew Jackson in a park near the White House.

In parallel, the president of the White House Correspondents' Association, Kelly O'Donnell, has written a letter to all members, reminding them of the inappropriateness of the behaviour and that it is simply not permitted to make off with pens, wine glasses, cutlery, pillowcases or anything else featuring the aircraft's seal.

In the letter, she points out, among other things, that the souvenirs are available for purchase and that anyone who wants proof of their trip can get a certificate from the air force free of charge.

The White House points out at the same time that the goal of the hunt for shoplifters is not to out the perpetrators, but to stop waste.

Source: TT-DI.SE