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70 Laptops Got Left Behind At An Airport Security Checkpoint In One Month (bravotv.com)
America's Transportation Security Administration has been making some surprising announcements on social media. An anonymous reader writes:
A TSA spokesperson says 70 laptops were left behind in just one month at an airport security checkpoint in Newark. "And yes, there are plenty of shiny MacBooks in that pile," reported BravoTV, "which can cost in the $2,000 range new." The TSA shared an image of the 70 laptops on their Instagram page and on Twitter, prompting at least one mobile project designer to reclaim his laptop. "The most common way laptops are forgotten is when traveler's stack a bin on top of the bin their laptop is in," the TSA warns. "Out of sight out of mind."
The TSA is also sharing pictures on social media of the 70 guns they confiscated at security checkpoints in one week in November, reporting they've also confiscated a blowtorch, batarangs, and a replica of that baseball bat from "The Walking Dead". They're reporting they found 33 loaded firearms in carry-on luggage in one week, and remind readers that gun-carrying passengers "can face a penalty as high as $11,000. This is a friendly reminder to please leave these items at home."
The TSA is also sharing pictures on social media of the 70 guns they confiscated at security checkpoints in one week in November, reporting they've also confiscated a blowtorch, batarangs, and a replica of that baseball bat from "The Walking Dead". They're reporting they found 33 loaded firearms in carry-on luggage in one week, and remind readers that gun-carrying passengers "can face a penalty as high as $11,000. This is a friendly reminder to please leave these items at home."
But I have a hard time understanding how anybody could forget their laptop at a TSA checkpoint.
On the other hand, I can think of one coworker who, if she announced this had happened to her, no one would be surprised in the least. But we're all routinely baffled by what passes for thought process in her head anyway.
#DeleteChrome
I am sure it's all the passengers fault. Not people desperately trying to get to their flight after a long delay waiting for their turn at a bit of ineffective security theatre..
Of course this would be solved by not requiring them to remove their laptops.. Something which would have next to no effect on the uselessness of their scanning anyway..
But no.. It's all the travelers fault. Silly travelers.. They deserve to have their items removed.
Of course it should be quite trivial door then to track down the owners right? TSA is so proud of how well informed they are about the travelers.. Surely they can localise the owners of one of a handful of people? No?
During a recent trip, while in the TSA line at SFO, I noticed almost four dozen full or nearly full bottles of water, and cups of soda and coffee. Did you all know that only three ounces of any of these liquids is enough to bring down an airliner? The amount of high explosives in that small area put the over seven million lives in the greater SF Bay area at risk.
The TSA did nothing. NOTHING!
....Murica....
LOL
Amusing; four "security theatre" articles today on other sites, and now we have an "It's *not theatre*" article on Slashdot.
Looks like they have some pretty good spin doctors on their payroll...
TSA Hello, mr Wayne? yes weve found luggage with your tag on it containing a macbook pro and a Batarang, and we had some questions.
Good people go to bed earlier.
Doew not say how many were left behind due to the TSA pedobears demanding to "search" the contents of the laptop for which the owner refused and decided just to leave the laptop behind
In the past, when laptops used to be a part of my carry-on baggage, I'd make sure I was ahead of it, or I'd put it behind the bag(s) and other personal items, like shoes. That way, when I'm past security and waiting to collect my stuff, it has yet to come out and nobody ahead of me can steal it.
Ever since I got tablets, I just pack the laptop in the check-in luggage, and don't look at it until I have reached the destination. B/w the phone and tablet, I have enough material to keep me entertained during the flight - assuming that in flight entertainment ain't there.
"The most common way laptops are forgotten is when traveler's stack a bin on top of the bin their laptop is in," the TSA warns. "Out of sight out of mind."
...So why aren't the bins made of clear plastic?
They usually don't allow drinks past that point. On a previous occasion, I had a can of coke amongst my other stuff, and they told me I'd have to leave it there. I quickly finished it and then tossed the can.
Nowhere in the constitution does it say one cannot board an airplane with a gun. The TSA is illegal and should be disbanded and all guns returned.
Meanwhile, after all these years, the number of people convicted on terrorism charges that were apprehended by the TSA: ZERO
The number of people accused of terrorism in other locations who were deterred from attacking an airplane or airport: ZERO
Now it's turned into more of a security Ring Cycle.
how the hell can you 'leave behind' something of value? I understand confiscations, but just forgetting your stuff? wtf, idiots.
I don't know why they would tell you to leave your guns at home. If you do that, you won't have any guns where you are flying to. You should instead check them in baggage.
They even have a webpage for it: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/tra...
Note if you have an expensive and/or fragile scope, you can carry that through the checkpoints as per normal.
Hopefully this highlights why we need to implement "No Laptop Left Behind"
Karnal
They should have pumped out your stomach, didn't they see you store it there?
So now you have 12 ounces of fluid in your stomach, which you could bring onto the plane? Seems like a deep security flaw.
“Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
You can't bring guns with you now.... What is this, North Korea?
So how many terrorists have they caught? Also: do they know where the idiots in Brussels exploded? It was before any check in the check-in area.
So no, we are not safer with them. If idiots want to blow themselves up, they will. Standard scan is already good enough. And obviously I could just go into the tax-free store and buy what I need there.
Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
One time when transfering to another flight, I had to go through security again due to a gate change, and got my bottle of duty free whisky confiscated. I was tempted to do as you did and drink it there and then.
If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
Perhaps there should be a Security Tony award for the best security theater performance.
That's 70 after they've done their shopping. There were really 78 left behind that month but the agents were busy upgrading their MacBooks. In six months or so after the hype has gone down then they will start upgrading their MacBook Pros.
So MacBook owner == Dumbass.
Was there meant to be a story here?
Maybe this is a dodge to dispose of an old laptop you want to get rid of without paying a fee to recycle it?
No need to remove your shoes or take the laptop out of the bag. Plus the lines are shorter.
problem is that the dumbshit TSA can pick out a bottle of shampoo 0.5 ounces too large in a weeks worth of luggage, but cant tell what a laptop is in a bag by iteself
They're reporting they found 33 loaded firearms in carry-on luggage in one week, and remind readers that gun-carrying passengers "can face a penalty as high as $11,000. This is a friendly reminder to please leave these items at home."
And, seriously, how hard is to remember to unload your weapon before packing it?
From: Transporting Firearms and Ammunition
Firearms
Ammunition
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
I've been wondering how long this theater will go on before we see another spectacular fail. The whole reason we see this theater now is because of a security failure overcome by people that planned an attack for months or even years. The security people are looking for weapons but what of a strong arm attack?
Weapons will certainly get attention but what if there was just an overwhelming number of attackers? It might not have the same effect in that not as many innocent people would die on the place since every strong arm attacker is displacing a seat that would be taken by someone else. However they'd still get control of the aircraft and be able to fly it like a missile into whatever target they choose.
I don't know how many people it would take but someone could do the math. They'd just do an estimate on how many people it would take to stop one of their own. Take into account that not all seats will be filled, some of them will be filled with people unlikely to put up a fight. Find as many people as they can that are willing to go through with it. They don't have to be big bruiser types either, just some people that can throw a good punch, or at least provide enough chaos for the bruisers on the team to deal with any passengers that want to put up a fight. Choose a plane with the maximum seating to match your team size.
Some improvised weapons wouldn't hurt. Wrap a belt around knuckles to throw a good punch. Wear an insulated vest to soften any blows and still leave the arms free. Even use things on the plane, the seat cushions as shields, belt extenders as flails, etc. The crew can lock the door to the flight deck but they would still have plenty of time to beat down the door until the crew could land. All the while the passengers would be cowed into a corner or getting a beating.
What of armed air marshals? There's not enough of them for every flight. If there were someone armed on the plane then they'd still have to deal with something like a dozen suicidal maniacs on a plane of 150. More likely the people planning the attack could sniff out the cop and call it off for another day.
What of armed crew? That might be helpful but since the powers that be don't like the idea the program that allowed flight crew to be armed after 9/11 has been lacking funds. The way the rules have been written have also been very stupid, like requiring the pilots to lock up their weapons before they land.
All this security theater is costing real money and time. The rules on locking the door to the flight deck, removing the curtains between sections of the plane, and arming the flight crew were likely all they needed to do and cost very little. The rules on limiting the size of liquid containers are not only stupid from the start but the way they are written is so easy to bypass, just declare that the fluid is required for a medical need and it does not get tested or denied entry. Body scanners, pat downs, etc. are all worthless. Requiring ID is not only worthless but also a violation of many constitutionally protected rights, such as being able to be free from unwarranted search or to be free to peaceably assemble.
As for all the firearms they've confiscated, if they thought these people really did intend to do harm on the plane then they should be cuffed and charged with a felony. An $11,000 fine is far to lenient on people that were intent on murder and far too harsh for people that forgot to check all their pockets before getting to the airport. I can see the need to bar the carry of pepper spray and the like, a leak in one of those would be a problem during the flight. Taking knives is just stupid, if you must keep them off the plane then allow the people to arrange to have them stored or shipped.
What really pisses me off though is the taking of toy plastic hammers, bullet casing key rings, and pictures of firearms... PICTURES!
I am armed because I am free. I am free because I am armed.
I've been wondering how long this theater will go on before we see another spectacular fail.
Likely until someone decides to mix an active bio agent into a Boeing aircraft's jet fuel prior to it being delivered to the airport from the depot, since they dump fuel over urban areas on approach for landing by aerosolizing it with a dispersal agent.
Anonymous for obvious reasons...
That is just crazy talk. I will even admit that my concern of a strong arm take over of a passenger plane is far fetched. Taking over an airplane today is exceedingly difficult. Putting some sort of biological agent in aircraft fuel with the intent to spread it over a populated area by dumping the fuel is just wild.
Someone using a crop duster or sky writer plane might be more likely. Also much more likely to be successful. This is assuming someone is able to put a biological weapon in an airplane without getting killed by it before they can take off. If we assume a suicidal person doing this, which they'd almost have to be since there is a non-trivial risk of dying from the agent carried on the plane, then they'd more than likely be willing to perform some maneuver that is also suicidal and/or likely to get them arrested if/when they land safely.
Dumping the agent on a populated area, and not bring attention to it by something like a fiery crash at the end and/or a close flyby of said populated area, is counter to the idea of terrorism. It's not terror inducing if no one knows it was done and not know who did it.
This is just another chem-trail conspiracy theory with a thin wrapping of terrorism fear mongering.
I am armed because I am free. I am free because I am armed.
"How hard is to remember to unload your weapon before packing it?" I guess there's no I.Q. check for firearms purchases, maybe there should be.
IQ and attention to detail are different things.
Also: Even the best-trained, most reliable, gun user can have a lapse when in a hurry, as in when packing for a flight.
That's why firearms training stresses redundancy, with rules like "A gun is loaded as soon as you put it down and look away". Or "Don't point (even an "unloaded") gun at anything you don't want to destroy."
The phenomenon is referred to as "a visit from the Ammo Fairy". That entity is similar to the Tooth Fairy, but instead of leaving a coin under you pillow it leaves a round in your chamber. B-)
Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
...but if they sell them, http://www.eyeflare.com/articl...
Where to buy TSA confiscated items for sale:
US state Website address
Alabama www.adeca.alabama.gov
Alaska www.publicsurplus.com/
Arizona www.azdoa.gov/agencies/msd/surplus_property/public_auctions.asp
Arkansas www.arstatesurplus.com
California http://www.dgs.ca.gov/ofam/hom...
Colorado www.cijvp.com
Connecticut das.ct.gov
Delaware www.state.de.us/dss/surplus/index.shtml
District of Columbia app.ocp.dc.gov/RUI/information/ppd/ppd_main.asp
Florida dms.myflorida.com/dms2/business_operations/
Georgia surplusproperty.doas.georgia.gov - Online auction sales
Hawaii auction.ehawaii.gov
Idaho fsp.idaho.gov/
Illinois ibid.illinois.gov
Indiana www.state.in.us/idoa/surplus/index.html
Iowa www.iaprisonind.com
das.gse.iowa.gov
Kansas da.state.ks.us/surplus/default.htm
Kentucky finance.ky.gov
Louisiana doa.louisiana.gov/lpaa/auction.htm
Maine www.maine.gov/bgs/centralserv/surplus/
Maryland www.dgs.maryland.gov
Massachusetts www.mass.gov/portal/
Michigan www.michigan.gov/dmb/
Minnesota www.fss.state.mn.us/auction.htm
Mississippi www.dfa.state.ms.us/Offices/SurProp/SurProp.htm
Missouri www.oa.mo.gov/purch/surplus.html
Montana gsd.mt.gov/local/publicauctions.asp
Nebraska www.corrections.state.ne.us/federal_surplus/index.html
www.das.state.ne.us/materiel/surplus/surplus.htm
Nevada purchasing.state.nv.us/property/auction.htm
www.das.state.ne.us/materiel/surplus/surplus.htm
purchasing.state.nv.us/property/vehicle.htm
New Jersey www.state.nj.us/treasury/dss
New Mexico www.generalservices.state.nm.us/transportationservices/publicstorefront
New York www.ogs.state.ny.us/supportServices/fedSurplus
www.ogs.state.ny.us/supportServices/stateSurplus
North Carolina www.surpluspropertydivision.com/
www.ncstatesurplus.com/ssp/public/ssphomepage/ssp.htm
North Dakota www.nd.gov/surplus/
Ohio www.das.ohio.gov
Oklahoma www.ok.gov/DCS/State_Surplus/index.html
Oregon oregonsurplus.com
surplus.oregonstate.edu
Pennsylvania www.dgs.state.pa.us/surp_prop/site/default.asp
Puerto Rico No website
South Carolina www.ogs.state.sc.us/OGS-disposable-index.phtm
South Dakota www.state.sd.us/boa/Prop. Mgmt/propmgt.htm
Tennessee www.state.tn.us/generalserv/ba04s/
Texas tfc.state.tx.us
www.sugarlandtx.gov/online_auction
Utah fleet.state.ut.us/
Vermont bgs.vermont.gov/business_services/surplus
Virginia dgs.virginia.gov
Washington www.washington.edu/admin/surplus
www.des.wa.gov
West Virginia www.state.wv.us/admin/purchase/surplus
Wisconsin www.doa.state.wi.us/
Wyoming ai.state.wy.us/GeneralServices/index.asp
-Styopa
That happened to me once, going from Chicago to Boston. They (TSA) decided I needed a pat-down which rattled me somewhat, and I forgot to put the laptop back in my bag. Fortunately, I was able to identify it properly to the TSA and they got it back to me in a day or two.
Sometimes, real fast is almost as good as real-time.
What reliable, responsible, well-trained gun owner leaves their guns loaded at home? Maybe I just can't fathom the self-defense gun culture you have in the US; we have a lot of guns here, but they're mostly for hunting or fun, not hero fantasy.
in jail we made clubs out of newspaper and shanks out of toothbrushes styrofoam and combs. no big deal.
Going through security, I forgot my laptop only to find out in the plane at cruising. I immediately informed the attendant who contacted ground. A person was then sent to the TSA lost&found to pick it up with my name. The funny parts: I had a sticker on my notebook with all my details, including phone no. It was never used. Instead, when picking it up they only opened the lid to see the login name on the lock screen (only my first name), and the combination of laptop description was then used to give the laptop to the airline guy. For me to actually get it back, I had to contact and find the guy on Facebook (only had a name and non-working telno from TSA) no less ! But, I got it back :) And I guess TSA did something good, like not allowing a stranger to sticker my laptop with their details.
Slashdot: stuff for news, nerds that matter, matter for news, stuff that nerd
Any frequent traveler like myself will tell you you're playing with fire leaving valuables like a laptop in a checked bag. Checked bags are lost ALL THE TIME, stolen from all the time, and damaged even more. If you're lucky, your travel insurance may throw you a bone for the value of the laptop but they won't be able to replace the value of what's on it. I won't even get into how disruptive it will be to your business trip or vacation to have a missing laptop.
Rule #1, avoid checking luggage at all costs. Rule #2, if you are forced to check, don't put anything in there except clothing, sundries, and other things of little value.
1. I wager almost all the firearms, largely belong to law enforcement, national security, and other professionals who routinely carry as part of their job.
2. Bet many of the laptops were in fact in bins which got grabbed by other passengers, moved, had folks ask where my laptop is. Probably even filed missing item reports with the TSA. But were never returned their property, why.....that's a lot of free laptops for workers who have little motivation to be competent.
I travel a lot for work (~175K miles a year). One a flight from Dallas-->Brisbane-->Sydney (before Sydney direct), I left my laptop in Brisbane, in the DMZ (area in airport for international flights, after deplaning and before immigration/passport control/customs). This itinerary stopped in Brisbane to refuel, but you left the plane and (interestingly) went through security immediately after, then waited in a special area to get back on the plane and resume to Sydney.
I left my laptop at security. Didn't notice until I was in my hotel in Sydney. Call the airport, and they said "leave a message for customs/security, they will call you back." Yeah, right. I did and... ten minutes later they called.
The guy found it, then explained the problem was that it hadn't been through customs. I had a co-worker coming through the same flight in a couple of days; he agreed to give it to the co-worker. I figured that this was unlikely to actually occur, and started backup planning.
My co-worker gets off the plane in Brisbane, announces himself.... and is handed a laptop, complete with a note taped to it explaining it had been left and to give it to him on this date.
I still have the note on my laptop to remind me how stupid I can be.
We didn't animal house the bottle but we opened it and passed it around the line for anyone to swig off of it. No one said anything.
I find it amazing that people have forgotten 70 laptops. That fact does make it a plausible excuse that the same amount of people could have forgotten they were carrying firearms when going through screening. I'm not saying its ok to forget you have a firearm in your possession, but to "face a penalty as high as $11,000" and a possible felony seems a little excessive. I'd like to see how many of those people are given a warning at sent home, and how many are arrested on the spot and convicted.
Ninjas don't carry tic tacs
One who has it for home defense. Having to load a gun during a home invasion likely means you're already dead.
What makes you think that any significant proportion of flight crew have or desire weapons training?
I don't know the proportion of flight crew in America who are ex-military, and of them the proportion who have weapons training and have kept it up, and who want to keep it up. But in Britain the number of pilots leaving the military and going into passenger piloting is pretty low. The large majority of flight crew have never seen a weapon outside the hands of the police at international airports and few would want the difficulty of maintaining weapons certification for themselves. So you're putting the cost of the training and the weapons and the management of the weapons (lockers in the crew's briefing room ; what to do if a crew member leaves their issued weapon at the airport they've just left ; what responsibility does the airline have for the inevitable crew member who uses a works-issue weapon to kill or threaten another crew member on the ground ; what if a crew member gets arrested for carrying their works weapon to their hotel becaue they forgot to take it from their bags?
I don't hear any demand from the airlines to implement this, because they probably don't want it. Despite what some gun associations in some countries want.
Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
For the UK, try these (which cover general lost property, including at airports) : http://www.greasbys.co.uk/ (London somewhere) https://www.thebcva.co.uk/ (Bristol) http://www.mulberrybankauction... (Glasgow) http://wellersofguildford.com/... (Near the shithole of the universe (Heathrow))
Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
What makes you think that any significant proportion of flight crew have or desire weapons training?
The fact that once it was available the armed crew program could not keep up with demand for training and certification. I just typed "armed flight crew" into Google and up came a news article on how more than 10% of eligible flight deck officers took advantage of the program and as many as 15% of US domestic flights have at least one armed member of the crew.
I don't know the proportion of flight crew in America who are ex-military, and of them the proportion who have weapons training and have kept it up, and who want to keep it up. But in Britain the number of pilots leaving the military and going into passenger piloting is pretty low. The large majority of flight crew have never seen a weapon outside the hands of the police at international airports and few would want the difficulty of maintaining weapons certification for themselves.
That is just a demonstration that the UK is made of "subjects" and not "citizens". A subject is the property of a ruling class, a citizen is someone that has the right to freedom and the responsibility to protect it.
So you're putting the cost of the training and the weapons and the management of the weapons (lockers in the crew's briefing room ; what to do if a crew member leaves their issued weapon at the airport they've just left ; what responsibility does the airline have for the inevitable crew member who uses a works-issue weapon to kill or threaten another crew member on the ground ; what if a crew member gets arrested for carrying their works weapon to their hotel becaue they forgot to take it from their bags?
What if? Yes, what if. There are so many "what ifs" here that are irrelevant because the same questions can be asked of anyone that is armed. There are already armed air marshals on many flights but no one seems to complain about them. The air marshals could also lose a firearm (and it happens more often than they would care to admit) but we don't ban air marshals and other law enforcement from flights.
All you are demonstrating here is an irrational fear of firearms and/or armed individuals. The flight crews are routinely tested for their health, mental and physical, given background checks, and drug tests. Oh, and THEY ALREADY FLY THE FUCKING PLANE!! If they wanted to cause harm to someone then all they'd need to do is nose dive the plane into the ground, they wouldn't need a firearm to do that.
You also complain about the cost. How much does it cost for the armed air marshals? We're already spending money on putting armed people on aircraft, we'd actually be saving money on those air marshals if we allowed the crew of these planes to volunteer for the training and certifications. How much does it cost to lose a plane to a hijacking? By arming the crew we are saving lives.
I don't hear any demand from the airlines to implement this, because they probably don't want it. Despite what some gun associations in some countries want.
The airlines don't want it because they don't want to be responsible for fighting terrorism, because if the pilots are armed then they'd have to admit that a hijacked plane is possible, because of so many things including wanting to placate those with irrational fears of firearms like yourself.
Probably the biggest point I want to make is that I have no desire to make being armed a condition of flying the plane. The pilot should be a pilot first, if that person desires to be armed then there should be no law, regulation, or policy to prevent this.
This gets back to your earlier point of flight crews potentially getting arrested for being armed where they should not. I have two solutions for this. One possible solution is have the armed pilots be considered as law enforcement. No one arrests an FBI agent for taking their work gun with them to a hotel, nei
I am armed because I am free. I am free because I am armed.