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Lady With Dagger In Bag Gets Past TSA AT JFK Airport


By

Jen Chung

Published Mar 4, 2012

Modified Apr 26, 2012


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Example of an antique dagger

 


By

Jen Chung

Published Mar 4, 2012

Modified Apr 26, 2012


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A woman with an antique dagger in her bag managed to get past TSA screeners at JFK Airport—and then the TSA took 10 minutes to call the Port Authority police. The Post says, "Port Authority police are supposed to be called immediately in the event of a security breech. Yet this slip-up was just the latest in a string of embarrassing security mishaps — three in February — by the federal Transportation Security Administration."

The screening area at JetBlue's Terminal 5 was shut down for two hours and eventually the Port Authority police arrested Gabrielle Olsen, 26. The Post reports, "TSA agents had initially flagged her for having a bottle of liquid in her bag. The screeners confiscated the bottle but missed the antique knife, police sources said. It wasn’t until after she had departed the security-check area at 6:09 a.m. that the knife was identified on a screening-machine X-ray. Olsen told police that her father, an antiques dealer, had given it to her for protection, police sources said." People, refer to this list of prohibited items! Fun fact: Dead snakes are allowed on the plane, but if they were in liquid...

There was an hours-long shutdown of the British Airways terminal at JFK Airport when a passenger evaded TSA screeners on February 24. The Post adds, "Earlier last month, a TSA agent mistakenly let a civilian get past a checkpoint. The man was merely trying to greet his wife.

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antique dagger

arrest

dagger

jfk airport

port authority police

Screening

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tsa follies


Jen Chung

Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


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