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Ask Gadling: Where do all our TSA checkpoint confiscated knives and corkscrews end up?

by Scott Carmichael (RSS feed) on Aug 20th 2010 at 3:30PM

A reader asked an interesting question on our Facebook page - what does the TSA do with all our knives, tools and corkscrews after they confiscate them at the checkpoint? We did a bit of homework and found out that the final destination is different for each state.

View more Ask Gadling: Travel Advice from an Expert or send your question to ask [at] gadling [dot] com.

In Illinois for example, the TSA delivers all their loot to the state surplus facility, where it is put it up for sale on their auction site. Think Ebay, but with bigger stuff and fewer silly fees for sellers. Small items like knives, kitchenware and tools are sold in bulk, which means you can't go online to buy a single Swiss Army Knife - you need to settle for 90lbs of them, or 80lbs of assorted corkscrews.

In some other states with lower amounts of confiscated items, the knives are destroyed. In all states, guns are given to local police agencies.

So, unless you want your $100 Swiss Army Knife to end up at the bottom of a bulk lot of knives being sold for $50, leave it at home or keep it in your checked luggage.

Remember, the TSA checkpoint does not provide mailing envelopes for sending items home, so once they find a restricted item, you'll need to surrender it or leave the checkpoint and find a way to get it sent home. Also, if you show up with an illegal item, you will lose it and will most likely need to answer to an airport police officer.

A list of all state and federal surplus sites can be found here: USA Government sales

Gallery: TSA Confiscated items from the security checkpoint

Filed under: North America, United States, Airports, Travel Security

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Everly505 Aug 23rd 2010 10:52AM

I think the TSA should offer envelopes to mail knives home. My husband forgets to take out his pocket knife sometimes, and has lost 2 good knives. You are kind of stuck, no pun intended, by the time you are in line, your luggage has been checked, and there's no post office near by to go and mail items. If not able to mail items, they should be able to scan your ticket and put a sticker on the item, and for roundtrip patrons, they should be able to pick up the item when they return, for a reasonable fee of $5.00 or so. This should be an option. Some of these items may be of significant value, or even more valuable....sentimental value, the pocket knife may have been his dad's and dad has passed away. I don't think airlines care about this, and people that honestly forget to take out these items. Being creatures of habit, and they automatically put the normal daily items in their pockets/purses and don't realize it until it is too late and we lose the item, whatever it may be. I would make a plea to airlines, to make this service available to your customers. I think serving your customers would be the best PR/Marketing you could do. I think it would be worth the time/effort/cost, instead of commercials to advertise....do your advertising through offering services such as these. Also, while your at it, offer plastic bags to buy. I know people that have lost expensive makeup, etc because it wasn't in a plastic, sealed bag. This is rediculous, when it could have passed with a sealable bag. Or, offer mailable boxes, like the post office has a one price boxes, no matter what it weighs, "if it fits, it ships" for one price. Why can't the post office have a kiosk/ mail station there in the airport, close to the security gates, to make this service available for items that need to be removed from passengers, but is a shame to lose for the sake of catching a flight.

Tierney Aug 23rd 2010 7:18PM

Um I think its important to realize that airlines aren't enforcing these rules...its the TSA. Also, your correct that mistakes and simple slips of the mind do happen but its not the TSA's responsibility to provide a solution for these issues. People need to be responsible for their own belongings and the TSA needs to worry about providing a safe environment for travel, not determining a way to get people's pocket knives home.

Baron Feldmar Aug 23rd 2010 12:52PM

What you are saying is "common sense", something the TSA lacks!!!!

davis Aug 23rd 2010 11:34AM

Why not offer it it seems the goverment is forgetting they work for us, not the other way around. they are getting paid a hell of a lot of money and benifits the public does not get. yet they give us attitude for asking for simple things. If they can't do the jobs nicely give me my darn money back. It isnt asking for much, people are not perfect, if the Gov makes a mistake they are forcing you to do the things, they want their crap back. Why cant we.

mj Aug 23rd 2010 12:13PM

You are so right!!!!

. After all the chatter and changing procedure, one thing has completely been overlooked, maybe on purpose. Making life a litle easier for the traveler. I avoid flying and in many cases driving will get me where I am going in a much better mood and cery close to the time I would have arrived WITH NO AGGRAVATION

Maybe if we start an nternet petition..........

Ken Aug 23rd 2010 12:33PM

Why can't everyone be responsible for themselves. Why does some in the traveling public feel they have been mishandled. Why does someone else have to or need to give you something so you can keep what you knew you should not have with you in the first place. It has been how long since 9-11? Yet there is still a few of you who can not seem to get it right. Also TSA does not confiscate items. Passengers surrender them if they do not want to check another bag or take it back to their car.

TravelQn Aug 25th 2010 5:49AM

I think your suggestions are sooo on point! I travel several times throughout the year. At the differing airports around the states and the Caribbean, TSA rules differ. In Florida, I stood in front of a TSA checkpoint person, seething I might add, while she just took my VS products and places them on the side table and threw away empty and almost empty toiletry bottles and tubes in the trash bin. I THINK THIS IS ROBBERY WITH VIOLENCE!! As I questioned her as to why she was placing certain products on the side while throwing away an empty 8oz Listerine bottle(I buy big and refill small bottle for travel) Her excuse was It wasnt under the 3oz. and she had to go by the weight stated on the bottle or tube even though it was obvious it was empty or less than 2ozs left. The police officer quickly approaches with hand on weapon, asking is there a problem. I told him yes! She stealing my products under the guise of TSA rules and throwing away things I could use while traveling{e.g. a half used 4oz tube of Sensodyne }.Things I can carry onto a plane out of NY, they want to confiscate in Texas and Puerto Rico. Fort Lauderdale, they just go shopping in your bag. If they see something they want, they take it, period! With armed enforcement to back them up and you trying to catch your flight, you are between a rock and a hard place. No recourse!
International airports are another story altogether, depending on their relations with the U.S. The postal idea is worth considering, as a courtesy to those flying. Understanding that the TSA rules seem to be open for interpretation by state. It would help greatly with these discrepancies.

LOLOLOLOLOL Aug 23rd 2010 1:16PM

Lets see....the airlines takes your stuff & sells it? Key word takes. Everyone should SUE all airlines for stealing. (maybe class action lawsuit?) I'm sure some nice lawyer would go for this.

carody Aug 23rd 2010 2:05PM

My husband is a TSA officer. He gets paid nearly nothing and can only work part time, yet he gets yelled at during his whole shift. He truly tries to stay positive and smile for every passenger, but I know it's not an easy job. The airlines don't have control about what you can or cannot take on the airplane. The TSA enforces those rules, and it's up to each passenger to volunteer to hand over items, or find an alternative. I, myself, have forgotten items I had in my bag, and I tossed them. I didn't blame anyone else. It was my own fault. If you're boarding a plane, make sure you go through everything you pack ahead of time. It saves a lot of heartache in the future. Incidentally, my husband's airport destroys everything they collect.

cindy Aug 23rd 2010 3:02PM

Umm, maybe you should be responsible for yourself and your own items. I would think he'd learn his lesson after losing 2 knives.

TKMichael Aug 23rd 2010 11:04AM

Laura,
The dryer gremlins take the socks and leave some change in return. This is why you can't find the sock, but you discover twenty-six cents.

Rred692 Aug 23rd 2010 11:05AM

Las Vegas had a mailing envelope service. Cost @ $15.00. Worked great and the TSA folks helped me.

Marshall Aug 23rd 2010 11:19AM

The article left out one big stipulation and that is that any checked bags can be
x-rayed at any major connecting hub.

grm Aug 23rd 2010 11:26AM

ha i think its all crap - lets get serious - the TSA takes their pick of your stuff before they send it off, lot of TSA agents with nice pocket knives and other items...

carody Aug 23rd 2010 2:03PM

If they're caught even taking a penny from the change left behind a checkpoint, they get fired instantly. My husband is a TSA agent.

John WalkerSC Aug 23rd 2010 11:35AM

I wouild love to find out the places/sites that these auctions are held. I do alot of gun and knife shows and this stuff would fly off my table

Wolfman Aug 23rd 2010 12:28PM

It is like GMR says it is all a bunch of b/s. Law enforcement agencies always gets the pick of the crop.

MARY Aug 23rd 2010 11:39AM

It's nice to think that the items are put to good use, but on at least four occassions, I have seen the TSA agents pass the item around until someone likes it and puts it in their pocket. This has happened twice in the Las Vegas airport, once with a knife, and once with a Harley Davidson lighter. The agents waited until the person they took it from was out of sight before it was pocketed, but i guess they thought the rest of us still waiting in line were blind or oblivious.

Marc Z. Aug 23rd 2010 11:42AM

This is all crap. I can do more damage to someones neck with a sharp pencil than with a one and a half inch swiss army knife. They're just stealing stuff and selling it. And yes my nice corkscrew was taken out of my checked baggage. Thieves!!!!