Benchmade Rift stolen between Munich and London

[crom]

My brother in law purchased a satin-bladed 950 with the salt and pepper style handle earlier this year. So he was gone for all of August on a European tour and had taken the knife with him, always checking it with the baggage stored in the cargo area of the plane. He has done this hundreds of times with knives and multitools of various brands The last time he saw it was when he packed before a flight from Munich into London. He assumed it was taken by Brit customs but I just did a little reading and the baggage scanner personnel aren't supposed to remove items from checked baggage. It's obviously theft by airline personnel in one of those cities. There is a special place in hell for thieves. If anybody sees a Rift of that type in the classifieds and originating from a UK or German address please shoot me a PM. Thanks.

 

[Poez]

Last time I have heard UK knife laws (or rather anti-knife laws) were quite brutal. So your brother probably could have been arrested if they found him carrying or even possessing something as dangerous as Benchmade Rift while there. Do not expect to try to sell Rift in UK for that reason. I might be wrong, but as much as I know now: I would not suspect airline personnel, would consider myself lucky for not having even more trouble with law (on the top of confiscation of the offending item) and would not blame anybody but myself for not checking the laws of the country of destination. But that is just me.
Check UK laws again, as I said I might be wrong there.

P.S. And if Rift did not have thumbstubs removed: it was illegal in Germany as well as a knife with one-handed opening! So in theory, that could have been German police too....

 

[Scurvy092]

Yeah, I'm guessing confiscation.

 

[Dago Red]

If it was confiscation wouldn't there have been a note or something? doesn't TSA leave a note when they even go through a bag?

Confiscation is one thing, theft another. Probably once it's checked it's protected from the laws of the country, just like if you check through rifles, you may be passing through countries where you couldn't have them. Regardless, I don't think if it was stolen the guy should just be grateful he didn't get in trouble for having it somewhere. I'm glad for you Poez if you'd be able to feel that way about it.

I had a pair of scissors with about a 2" blade that I've had for 20 years, use for trimming mustache and beard, I double checked TSA guidelines before flying to Nicaragua last year. had them in check-in no problem going there. coming back some young punk asshole in Nicaragua's airport security told me I couldn't have them. I pointed out that they were legal and he still insisted I have to throw them away. I refused and told them he could throw them away himself if he wanted to. I was incredibly pissed. I love visiting other countries but I hate airport security and I despise thieves. If it was confiscated fine, if it was stolen I hope the person that stole it trips while playing with it and cuts their balls off.

Red

 

[A.L.]

Im not sure if one hand openers are illegal in Germany, just illegal to carry (otherwise, no limit in blade size).

 

[richardallen]

[...] just illegal to carry (otherwise, no limit in blade size).

Simplified answer: Correct, illegal to carry, legal to own.

Complicated answer: You can even carry them, if you have a very good reason (eg. sport, camping/outdoor, hunting).

 

[crom]

He wasn't in the UK carrying, his flight arrived there. If the airline personnel took the knife out of his checked baggage it is not permissible for them to do so. I meant this as a heads up to the community, not as a "woe is he" tale.

 

[Allex]

Most likely it was stolen by airline staff ... I had my baggage "checked" couple of years ago, when I left Munich, but they put a "security notice" inside.

 

[RevDevil]

This is going to be like finding a needle in a haystack.

 

[Poez]

Simplified answer: Correct, illegal to carry, legal to own.

Complicated answer: You can even carry them, if you have a very good reason (eg. sport, camping/outdoor, hunting).

I am curious about possible good reasons for carrying one-hand opening folders in Germany: there is always a fixed blade option available for any possible application and they do not have any problem with fixed blades of any shape and size.

 

[James Y]

Another reason why the only knife I would take when traveling would be some type of SAK. That way,even if it's confiscated or stolen from your luggage, it's easily replaceable. Not to mention it doesn't scream "weapon" to most people (at least not to most intelligent people).

Jim

 

[Planetcat]

If they confiscate something, I believe it is most airline's policy to put a notification in the luggage telling the owner that their property was confiscated for reason X.

 

[crom]

Yes Planetcat, my research showed that if luggage is inspected they leave a notification somehow, but this was not the case. I have urged him to report this but he hasn't done so yet. I know there is little to no chance of recovering this knife but I thought it'd be worthwhile to get it out there that a stolen Rift may come up for sale out of the UK or Germany.

 

[jdm61]

I am curious about possible good reasons for carrying one-hand opening folders in Germany: there is always a fixed blade option available for any possible application and they do not have any problem with fixed blades of any shape and size.

You are incorrect. They do have a problem with fixed blades over 12cm or around 4.7 inches. That was the exception that the Bavarian members of the Bundestag got put in on the behalf of the hunting organizations when this new knife law was being drafted. They also did not outlaw the possession of the more traditional type of German automatics when the essentially outlawed the Italian types and many others.