What to Know
- The TSA unveiled its weirdest and most dangerous checkpoint finds of 2018 Monday
- Two local airports were among the locations where agents made the most unusual finds
- At Newark Airport TSA agents say they found novelty grenades "dressed" in tuxedos; Meanwhile, at LGA agents found a knife in baby carrier
The Transportation Security Administration unveiled Monday its weirdest and most dangerous checkpoint finds of 2018 and it turns out that two local airports were among the locations where agents made the most unusual finds.
One of the strangest finds had little to do with the object found, but rather where it was found. According to the TSA, a traveler passing through a security checkpoint at LaGuardia on July 6, 2018, was traveling with a child in a baby carrier. When the carrier went through the X-ray, TSA officers discovered a sharp kitchen carving knife “artfully concealed” in the lining of the baby carrier.
Every day, TSA officers discover a wide range of strange and dangerous items at security screening checkpoints. Here a collection of the #topten most unusual items that were found in 2018. pic.twitter.com/YmIM2r4nRD
— TSA (@TSA) February 11, 2019
“It could be that the baby took it from the kitchen drawer and folded it up into the bottom of the baby carrier. Or it could be that an adult did it. Your guess is as good as ours. All that TSA knows is that sharp kitchen carving knives have no place in the cabin of an airplane. That’s quite a no-no,” the TSA said in a tongue-in-cheek statement.
This incident came in as the sixth weirdest find, according to TSA’s list.
Local
Meanwhile, coming in at No. 4 is an incident that occurred at Newark Liberty International Airport when TSA officers detected two hand grenades in a carry-on bag on Aug.20, 2018. The grenades had a tux painted on them and were accompanied by a large set of instructions to not pack them for a flight.
“But alas, this traveler ignored the instructions provided by the manufacturer and it resulted in the grenades being confiscated. They were actually inert grenade-like novelty bottle openers,” TSA said.
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The agency goes on to say that even novelty grenades will trigger an alarm at the the checkpoint and will delay not only you, but the others in line and your traveling companions.
“Even more important is that if someone displays them on an aircraft, the crew and other passengers could think that they are live grenades and cause a panic on a plane. Or, in an another scenario, someone could pretend they are real in an attempt to make a threat aboard an aircraft,” TSA said in a statement, simply concluding. “Don’t be that guy. Ship these sorts of items to your destination.”
What other weird confiscations took place at TSA checkpoints? Well, according to the released list, an ax, harpoon, switchblade, snakes, an apparent bomb, gigantic scissors, an inert mortar round and a glove complete with finger blades reminiscent of scary movies rounded the Top 10 most unusual checkpoint finds.
