A Gatwick Airport police community support officer has been jailed for six and a half years after conning passengers out of £13,500.
Mother of two Alexis Scott confiscated cash from people coming through the airport, saying they were carrying too much money.
The scam was uncovered when returning passengers began asking airport officials for their money back.
The PCSO, from Plumstead, south east London, had featured in a 2011 documentary called Inside Gatwick where she was filmed talking proudly about her work.
But yesterday Scott was sentenced to six and a half years in jail after being convicted of theft at Canterbury Crown Court in July.
The sentence will mean that the 40 year-old will be separated from her baby daughter after judge James Mahoney said any jail term exceeding three years would see the mother and child split up.
The judge handed down a sentence of six and a half years for misconduct in a public office, and two and a half year terms for each of the six counts of theft, to run concurrently.
He also said Scott’s actions damaged the reputation of the police force and of this country.
After internal disciplinary proceedings in July last year Scott was dismissed from her job, which pays a basic salary between £18,500 and just over £20,000 a year.
She had previously been a member of a specialist investigation team which confiscated cash from suspected criminals.
