Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Loaded gun makes it through airport security
Ben Stiller's friend on "There's Something About Mary" wouldn't let Ben go out with a loaded gun, and perhaps that's a lesson we should all take to heart. But should you accidentally take your loaded firearm through airport security, you might not get caught. The TSA seems to be great at detecting your shampoo or engagement ring, but agents failed to detect a gun this past Sunday.
According to CNN, Gregory Scott Hinkle went through airport security at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport with a loaded weapon. After he made it through the checkpoint, he remembered that he had the gun, and returned to security to disclose it.
The TSA claims that this incident is "not a systemic problem in that our testing indicates TSOs [Transportation Security Officers] have a very high success rate at finding firearms."
- TSA pours out coffee, ignores boxcutter
- TSA steals traveler's pudding, leaves him armed with knife
- TSA thief caught red-handed, arrested
- TSA screeners fail to catch explosives at security checkpoint
- Fight back! Use these luggage tags.
- Go with the flow, and buy goods confiscated by the TSA.
Filed under: North America, United States, Airports, News
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 3)
Rusty Jan 25th 2008 1:53PM
Reading about this and reading some of the comments along with some personal experience reminded me of something I saw on tv a while back. Pre 9/11 you were allowed to carry a knife on board a plane as long as the blade was less than a certain length, then along comes a bunch of assholes that cause the 2nd single greatest incident in recent American history. Just for those of you that don't know what the other one is, it was the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Anyway, back to the story, then authorities caught wind of, and stopped a plot by terrorists to hide explosives in their shoes which is why we now have to take off our shoes to be screened. Then, authorities again heard of another plot by terrorists to use liquid explosives which is why we now have to use the lovely little "elf-size" toothpaste, mouthwash, etc. My point in all of this is that no matter what, Homeland Security, TSA, CIA, FBI, AARP, KFC or any other agency that uses initials basically enacts all of these "security measures" for things that terrorists have already thought up and tried but have fortunately have been stopped. If I were to go through security with a 20 oz. Coke, how hard would it be for them to say, "I'm going to need you to drink some of that to prove there is nothing harmful to others in there" so I don't have to pay $3 for a Coke on the other side of the checkpoint? They have that nifty little machine they use when you're "randomly selected" for additional screening where they wipe a little circular cloth like thing on your shoes then put it into the machine and it detects the presence of explosives or explosive residue, so why can't they wipe around the mouth of the bottle and analyze that for the same thing?
The sad thing about our airport security is that everything is about being REACTIVE instead of being PROACTIVE!
Robert Jan 25th 2008 8:58PM
How does TSA know it has a high success rate? Do they keep track of the number of people honest enough to come back through security to tell them that the loaded gun in their suitcase was missed?
M J Jan 31st 2008 10:11AM
WHY does the picture - A Look-a-like 12 gauge-Ventilated-Ribbed - Shotgun appear ? DID this dude have a Snub-nosed .357 Magnum , A 9mm semi-auto ? I really believe that there have been hundreds of WOMEN who(m) have made it through security with Their loaded Colt-Pythons . I have actually seen women watch the agents closely , and before going through the metal-detectors , swap the purse '' Around '' the side and grab it on the other side - NOT going through the detector , OR even putting IT on the scanning conveyor . R E A L L Y , and I wonder about scheming individuals like them .