TSA Week in Review: Disassembled Rifle Concealed in Two Bags at BOS

Disassembled Rifle Concealed in Two Bags – While resolving an alarm on checked baggage, officers at Boston Logan (BOS) discovered a fully disassembled 30-30 rifle concealed within the lining of the bag and taped to the straps. Massachusetts State Police responded and ran a check on the serial number of the rifle, revealing that it had been stolen. Police arrested the passenger on state charges.  For the record, it is permissible to travel with firearms in your checked baggage as long as you have legal authority to possess the firearm and you adhere to these guidelines.

 

28 Firearms Discovered This Week – Of the 28 firearms, 22 were loaded and five had rounds chambered. One passenger in San Francisco had three firearms in his carry-on bag - two loaded pistols (.38 and .40 caliber) and an unloaded .40 caliber. Here are pictures of some of the firearms. See a complete list and more photos at the bottom of this post.  

Grenade Discovered at LAS

Inert Ordnance and Grenades Etc. – We continue to find inert hand grenades and other weaponry on weekly basis. Please keep in mind that if an item looks like a realistic bomb, grenade, mine, etc., it is prohibited - real or not. When these items are found at a checkpoint or in checked baggage, they can cause significant delays. I know they are cool novelty items, but it is best not to take them on a plane.  Read here and here on why inert items cause problems.

• An inert grenade was discovered in a carry-on bag at Las Vegas (LAS).

Items in the Strangest Places –It’s important to check your bags prior to traveling to ensure no prohibited items are inside. If a prohibited item is discovered in your bag, you could be cited and possibly arrested by local law enforcement. Here are a few examples from this week where prohibited items were found in strange places.

• A 3¼-inch knife was detected concealed inside a comb in the carry-on bag at Charleston (CHS).
• A sword cane with a 15” blade was discovered at Houston (IAH).

Stun Guns –13 stun guns were discovered this week in a carry-on bags around the nation: Two at Atlanta (ATL), two at Denver (DEN), and one each at Branson (BBG), Casper (CPR), Charlotte (CLT), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Jacksonville (JAX), Lebanon (LEB), Los Angeles (LAX), Minneapolis (MSP), and San Francisco (SFO). 

What Not to Say at an Airport – Statements like these not only delay the people who said them but can also inconvenience many other passengers if the checkpoint or terminal has to be evacuated:

• A Newark (EWR) passenger stated “I have a bomb in my bag” to one of our officers. She then went on to explain that she was just joking.

Miscellaneous Prohibited Items - In addition to all of the other prohibited items we find weekly, our Officers also regularly find firearm components, realistic replica firearms, bb and pellet guns, Airsoft guns, brass knuckles, ammunition, batons, and a lot of sharp pointy things -- to mention a few…  

Firearms Discovered This Week

You can travel with your firearms in checked baggage, but they must first be declared to the airline. You can go here for more details on how to properly travel with your firearms. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality. Travelers should familiarize themselves with state and local firearm laws for each point of travel prior to departure.  

Unfortunately these sorts of occurrences are all too frequent which is why we talk about these finds. Sure, it’s great to share the things that our officers are finding, but at the same time, each time we find a dangerous item, the throughput is slowed down and a passenger that likely had no ill intent ends up with a citation or in some cases is even arrested. The passenger can face a penalty as high as $7,500.00. This is a friendly reminder to please leave these items at home. Just because we find a prohibited item on an individual does not mean they had bad intentions, that's for the law enforcement officer to decide. In many cases, people simply forgot they had these items.

*In order to provide a timely weekly update, I compile my data from a preliminary report. The year-end numbers will vary slightly (increase) from what I report in the weekly updates. However, any monthly, midyear, or end-of-year numbers TSA provides on this blog or elsewhere will not be estimates. 

If you haven’t seen it yet, make sure you check out our post highlighting the dangerous, scary, and downright unusual items our officers found in 2012. 

Bob Burns 
TSA Blog Team 

If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact us by clicking here.

Travel Tips for Football Fans Going to Super Bowl XLVII

50,000 or more additional passengers are expected to travel to and from Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY) this weekend for Super Bowl XLVII. Arrivals at MSY will steadily increase as game day approaches, with the heaviest travel days being today through Saturday.

The busiest day at MSY will be on Monday when football fans begin their journey home. No worries though… following the big game, TSA will be operating on a 24/7 schedule so passengers can clear security and reach their gates as quickly and securely as possible. We’re also bringing in additional officers so we can double the number of open lanes at the checkpoint.

We thought it might be helpful to put together a little list with some helpful hints related to what football fans might want to know.

 Items you may WANT to bring on the plane; but CAN’T… (Also take a look at our “Can I Bring My…” tool, and permitted/prohibited items list for more info)

• Air horns: Air horns are prohibited in both carry-on and checked baggage. It’s a compressed can of air which is prohibited, but can you imagine the reaction from passengers if one of those things went off in the cabin?
• Concealment flasks: We’ve seen them all. Binocular flasks, beer bellies, cell phone flasks, cane flasks, pen flasks, flip-flop flasks, you name it… You may be able to sneak these into concerts and sporting events, but we’ll find them at the airport. Please get your libations in New Orleans if you’re not going to check them in your baggage. You can however have 3.4 oz. or less bottles of approved liquids in a baggie per liquids guidelines.
• Baltimore Ravens Fans:  If you’re traveling with a live Raven, please alert your airline and check out our page on traveling with pets.
• San Francisco 49er Fans: Kaepernicking is permissible at the airport; however, gold mining implements such as pick axes and shovels are prohibited in the cabin of the aircraft.
• Propane tanks: These are a big no-no. I’m a camper, and I know how handy they are for stoves, heaters, coffee makers, etc., but they’re a compressed flammable gas that can’t be brought on the plane at all.
• Gas heaters and stoves: These are popular items at tailgating events, but if gasoline can be smelled, the item won’t be permitted. For propane powered items, see above.
• Food Items: Here is a list of items that should be placed in your checked bags instead of your carry-on bags to comply with our liquids guidelines: Creamy dips and spreads, BBQ sauce, cheeses, peanut butter, salsa, jams, salad dressings, jellies, maple syrup, sauces, soups, wine, liquor and beer.

Super Bowl fans may encounter TSA Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR) teams on local transportation venues, including commercial and general aviation facilities and mass transit. Teams augment other federal, state, and local transportation and law enforcement to reduce potential terrorist risks to the traveling public. TSA assets will also work with law enforcement at Mercedes-Benz Superdome during the high-profile game. Fans are encouraged to report potentially dangerous situations to law enforcement or someone in authority. The Department of Homeland Security’s “If You See Something, Say Something™” campaign reminds the American public that security is a shared responsibility. "If You See Something, Say Something™" used with permission of the NY Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Let us know how we did by going to our “Super Bowl XLVII Traveler Feedback” page.

Helpful Links:

 

http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/my-tsa-mobile-application

http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/mobile/index.shtm
http://neworleanssuperbowl.com/
http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/47
http://flymsy.com/SuperBowlXLVII
http://www.neworleanscvb.com/thebiggame/
http://new.nola.gov/city/superbowl/

Bob Burns

TSA Blog Team

If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact us by clicking here.

TSA Week in Review: Loaded Pistol Discovered With Advanced Imaging Technology at Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)

Passenger with Loaded Pistol at DFW – Using imaging technology, a .380 pistol loaded with seven rounds and one chambered was discovered in the pocket of a passenger at DFW. After resisting arrest, the Dallas/Fort Worth Department of Public Safety arrested him on a state charge.

 

23 Firearms Discovered This Week – 18 of those firearms were loaded and seven had rounds chambered. See a complete list and more photos at the bottom of this post.  

 

Suspicious Image At PHL – An ominous image was discovered on the X-ray monitor at Philadelphia (PHL). It appeared to be a possible pipe bomb. While screening the bag, the passenger became upset and stated: “I can bring a bomb through here any day I want and you will never find it.” The item ended up being a GPS watch inside a PVC pipe with two end caps. Philadelphia Police responded and arrested him on a state charge. 

 Items in the Strangest Places –It’s important to check your bags prior to traveling. If a prohibited item is discovered in your bag, you could be cited and possibly arrested by local law enforcement. Here are a few examples from this week where prohibited items were found in strange places. 

 

• A knife concealed within an ink pen was discovered in a carry-on bag at Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW).

• A knife was discovered concealed in the lining of a carry-on bag at Columbus, Ohio (CMH).

Thirteen Batons – Thirteen 20” expandable batons were discovered in a carry-on bag at Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA).

 

 

Stun Guns –10 stun guns were discovered this week in carry-on bags around the nation: Three at Atlanta (ATL), two at Denver (DEN), two at San Francisco (SFO), and one each at Burbank (BUR), Detroit (DTW), and San Diego (SAN).

 

Miscellaneous Prohibited Items - In addition to all of the other prohibited items we find weekly, our Officers also regularly find firearm components, realistic replica firearms, bb and pellet guns, Airsoft guns, brass knuckles, ammunition, batons, and a lot of sharp pointy things -- to mention a few… 

 

You can travel with your firearms in checked baggage, but they must first be declared to the airline. You can go here for more details on how to properly travel with your firearms. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality. Travelers should familiarize themselves with state and local firearm laws for each point of travel prior to departure.  

Unfortunately these sorts of occurrences are all too frequent which is why we talk about these finds. Sure, it’s great to share the things that our officers are finding, but at the same time, each time we find a dangerous item, the throughput is slowed down and a passenger that likely had no ill intent ends up with a citation or in some cases is even arrested. The passenger can face a penalty as high as $7,500.00. This is a friendly reminder to please leave these items at home. Just because we find a prohibited item on an individual does not mean they had bad intentions, that's for the law enforcement officer to decide. In many cases, people simply forgot they had these items.

*In order to provide a timely weekly update, I compile my data from a preliminary report. The year-end numbers will vary slightly (increase) from what I report in the weekly updates. However, any monthly, midyear, or end-of-year numbers TSA provides on this blog or elsewhere will not be estimates.

If you haven’t seen it yet, make sure you check out our post highlighting the dangerous, scary, and downright unusual items our officers found in 2012.

 

Bob Burns

TSA Blog Team 

If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact us by clicking here.

TSA Week in Review: 30 Firearms Discovered at Security Checkpoints This Week (25 Loaded)

30 Firearms Discovered This Week – 25 of those firearms were loaded and 13 had rounds chambered. Here are pictures of some of the firearms. See a complete list and more photos below.  

Knife Discovered With Body Scanner – A switchblade was discovered in the pocket of a passenger after being screened with image technology at Philadelphia (PHL). 

 

Inert Ordnance and Grenades Etc. – We continue to find inert hand grenades and other weaponry on weekly basis. Please keep in mind that if an item looks like a realistic bomb, grenade, mine, etc., it is prohibited - real or not. When these items are found at a checkpoint or in checked baggage, they can cause significant delays. I know they are cool novelty items, but it is best not to take them on a plane.  Read here and here on why inert items cause problems.

A replica grenade was discovered in a carry-on bag at Wichita (ICT).

 

Items in the Strangest Places –It’s important to check your bags prior to traveling. If a prohibited item is discovered in your bag, you could be cited and possibly arrested by local law enforcement. Here are a few examples from this week where prohibited items were found in strange places.

• Three knives were discovered in a passenger’s thermos at Honolulu (HNL). He had traveled through the checkpoint once already and was permitted to take the knives outside of the checkpoint area to check them in his baggage. Instead, he attempted to sneak them through in a thermos.  

• A belt buckle knife was discovered at Los Angeles (LAX).

• A sword cane was discovered at Memphis (MEM).

Stun Guns – Nine stun guns were discovered this week in a carry-on bags around the nation: Two at Atlanta (ATL), two at Denver (DEN), and one each at Bradley (BDL), Long Beach (LGB) , Minneapolis (MSP), Sacramento (SMF), Seattle (SEA).

 

What Not to Say at an Airport – Statements like these not only delay the people who said them but can also inconvenience many other passengers if the checkpoint or terminal has to be evacuated:

• While preparing to go through the security lane, a passenger at Chicago O’Hare (ORD) asked: “Should I remove my gun and bomb, too?”

• A passenger at LaGuardia (LGA) going through the checkpoint stated: “It’s not like I have a bomb in my bag, but I could have.”

Miscellaneous Prohibited Items - In addition to all of the other prohibited items we find weekly, our Officers also regularly find firearm components, realistic replica firearms, bb and pellet guns, Airsoft guns, brass knuckles, ammunition, batons, and a lot of sharp pointy things -- to mention a few…  

Firearms Discovered This Week

 

You can travel with your firearms in checked baggage, but they must first be declared to the airline. You can go here for more details on how to properly travel with your firearms. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality. Travelers should familiarize themselves with state and local firearm laws for each point of travel prior to departure.  

Unfortunately these sorts of occurrences are all too frequent which is why we talk about these finds. Sure, it’s great to share the things that our officers are finding, but at the same time, each time we find a dangerous item, the throughput is slowed down and a passenger that likely had no ill intent ends up with a citation or in some cases is even arrested. The passenger can face a penalty as high as $7,500.00. This is a friendly reminder to please leave these items at home. Just because we find a prohibited item on an individual does not mean they had bad intentions, that's for the law enforcement officer to decide. In many cases, people simply forgot they had these items.

*In order to provide a timely weekly update, I compile my data from a preliminary report. The year-end numbers will vary slightly (increase) from what I report in the weekly updates. However, any monthly, midyear, or end-of-year numbers TSA provides on this blog or elsewhere will not be estimates.

If you haven’t seen it yet, make sure you check out our post highlighting the dangerous, scary, and downright unusual items our officers found in 2012.

 

Bob Burns 
TSA Blog Team 

If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact us by clicking here.

Rapiscan Backscatter Contract Terminated – Units to be Removed

You may remember us blogging about new privacy software we rolled out for the L3 Millimeter Wave body scanners. It’s called Automated Target Recognition (ATR), and with the use of this software, our officers no longer see an image of the person being screened. This is what our officers see if the passenger alarms:

ATR Monitor After Alarm

 You can read more about the ATR software here.

Congress mandated as a part of the The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 that all TSA body scanners should be equipped with ATR by June 1, 2012 (There has since been an extension to June 1, 2013).

At this point, all Millimeter wave units have been equipped with ATR, but even with the extension to 2013, Rapiscan was unable to fulfill their end of the contract and create the ATR software that would work with backscatter units. As a result, TSA terminated the contract with Rapiscan in order to comply with the congressional mandate.

All Rapiscan AIT units currently operational at checkpoints around the country, as well as those stored at the TSA Logistics Center, will be removed by Rapiscan at their expense and stored until they can be redeployed to other mission priorities within the government. Most of the backscatter units being removed will be replaced with millimeter wave units. The millimeter units will be moved from the inventory currently deployed at other airports and from an upcoming purchase of additional millimeter wave units. 

By June 1, 2013 travelers will only see machines which have ATR that allow for faster throughput.  This means faster lanes for the traveler and enhanced security. 

As always, use of this technology is optional.

Bob Burns

TSA Blog Team

If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact us by clicking here.