Who here has lost a blade to Homeland Security?

X

Xocsida

Joined
Sep 27, 2001
Messages
4
I have. :(

I totally got screwed by a bottom-tier DHS asshole. He found the knife in my bag, and I immediately went into OH CRAP mode. I explained to him that I was a military officer just off of a one year deployment, that the knife was worth over 100 bucks and irreplacable, and that it was a gift from my wife on our first xmas together. All of which was true. He started off saying that he had to confiscate it, after getting both a local police officer AND his manager saying that he didn't. Then he finally agreed to let me have a friend come pick it up. So my wife and I get on the plane to go on our cruise, and my brother-in-law comes to pick it up. The fucker wouldn't give it to him, and told him he had to confiscate it. And I couldn't do anything about it because I was on a plane flying to new orleans. I was so fuckng pissed. It ALMOST ruined my whole vacation.

And then, two months later, the DHS had the audacity to send me a letter saying I was being investigated for a "security violation". I wrote them a letter basically explaining the situation, and telling them that if they wanted to take me to court, and get embarrased by my background when they tried to charge me (decorated Captain in the Army, ex-cop, recent deployee, etc), that I'd be glad to show up.

Shortly there after I got a letter saying "We've decided not to pursue any further action." Yeah, that's what I thought mofos! :D Man it pissed me off just thinking about it. My wife and I figured the DHS bottomfeeder probably said he gave it back and pocketed it.
 
Knifeclerk said:
Probably a bad idea to tell the asshole how much it was worth.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the whole situation was totally my fault and I don't have a problem with the rules.

What pissed me off though, was the dude taking my knife, even after his supervisor said it was OK to give it back. That and I basically had to choose between my vacation and a knife if I wanted to fight over it. :(
 
Yep, I feel for you, even though you contributed a bit to the situation. Sometimes I wish I could smack a sob though...

D
 
Are even allowed to confiscate knives? Don't they have to give you a chance to send it back to yourself via the mail?
 
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You have my condolences.

An airport security officer should never have the right to confiscate someone's property unless there is an imminent risk. Any inappropriate items should be bagged and documented in front of the owner, then mailed to him.

This is a classic case of too much power in the hands of an idiot. Kind of like politics.

TheSurvivalist
 
I feel for you. This is a classic case of bureauRat gone wild. This is the same type of dipshit that would never have the balls to come up to you in any other situation even if you had just made a sex sandwhich with his with and mother. Chalk it up to a power trip, jealousy that you have a women who wants to be seen in public with you, or his shifty little eyes realizing that he can make a quick dollar off of your knife.

I'm sooooo sick and tired of seeing these animals, who work mid to entry level bullshit jobs harrass others due to their own failings. This is why I'm still slaving away in school working to become a lawyer. I learned a long time ago that you can't face these animals using physical force, but if you learn their rules you can make their lives a living hell. With your background you may even want to contact the local media and tell you story. How ironic is it that some renta-uniform social reject gets the drop on national security over you a returning war hero?
 
That really sucks. :( I've not had that problem because I know that I can't carry on a knife and just don't even try. I leave them at home or in the car. I did bring a SAK with me on the last vacation, just stuck it in the checked baggage, half expecting it to get stolen, but it was fine. If I do buy knives on vacation, I usually have the dealer ship them, instead of risking them on checked baggage. I'm happy to take that chance with a $15 knife so I can have it while I'm on vacation.

Don't know what I'd do if I didn't have anything to check, though.
 
How things have changed. 5 years ago when I came back to the US from Brazil I had a machete in my suitcase. I told them about it and they didn't even care. It sucks you lost that knife. What an asshole.
 
I live in west PA.5 years ago I flew into D/FW from Pittsburgh,in my travel bag was my BuckMaster 184,sheathed,pins in handle.No problem! :eek:
 
I see confiscated knives all the time on eBay. They've actually confiscated knives and clippers from federal agents who had loaded guns on flights. These people are real idiots.
 
my father in law had a pocket knife confiscated when we went to see Bush speak here in town last year. i couldn't BELIEVE he didn't leave it at home or in car...:mad:

they gave him the option to return it to his car, but after waiting 3 hours in the heat of day to get in he opted to give it up. he saw Bush, but never saw the knife again.

when i fly i put my pocketknife ($20 Ka-Bar Dozier spearpoint Hunter- in checked luggage) with a copy of my federal transportation itinerary on top hoping DHS goons don't lighten my luggage. so far so good. i leave my good Leatherman at home, it is over 20 yrs old and a gift from a dear friend, ain't losin that one.

i double check my pockets before i kiss the missus goodby and expect to lose anything i overlooked. it's a bummer what they put you thru. stand by your strengths, thank you for your service. do the right thing...

dhawk
 
This happened to my brother while on vacation on the East Coast... in Boston I think. He was going to tour a battle ship or something... and the dirt bag security guard took his Benchmade 770BC1 that I gave him as a gift for Christmas!!! He wouldn't even let him just go back, and wait outside... he said he had to take it. :jerkit:
They guards said that he should be able to write the main office and probably get it back... but no... he never got it.
He was sooooo mad... I can only imagine. When I heard about it, I couldn't believe it! I get pissed just thinking about it!

Shrubba
 
First off I am from Texas and I don't attend many sporting events.

So, in Boston on business and really didn't think much about EDCing like I always do. One of the companies we do business with had invited us out to Fenway to see a game. It didn't even occur to me that my knife would be an issue till I saw the pat down boys at the front entrance. Thankfully no metal detectors so I hung back and watched their style. My EDC went into my sock and shoe(Made it look like I was tying my shoe) were one guy was not bothering to check anyone and I slipped though. I did ask my friends there if they provided a locker or somthing first.

The next time was on a bus from Tulsa to Houston. The knife wasn't a problem till Dallas when they did a random search. I told the lady outright and just checked it in my baggage.
 
I actually work at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (Atlanta). I work for a contractor in charge of maintaining the facility. One of the guys here has a friend up in the HQ, and once a week or so they bring down a couple of boxes of knives, multi-tools, lighters and tools, and he'll pick out what he wants and everyone else who happens to be around clears out the rest.

Just last night he pulled out three Spydercos and some Gerber Tools. We also find quite a few gold lighters. Sometimes he finds Zippo Lighters with engravings on them from various Army units (Usually Rangers). When we find those, one of the guys takes them and gives them to a friend at Ga Tech who likes to find the original owner and send it back to him. So far, he's been successful with all of them.


I guess the bottom line is, that if anyone here happens to loose a blade in Atlanta, email me ASAP and I may be able to get it back for you!
 
Not a knife story, but equally stupid. Recently, they changed the law, so you can no longer carry a LIGHTER on a plane. Prior to that, it was only against the law to check one in your bag. My son was coming back from overseas and had his solid 14k gold ($800.00) cigar lighter checked in his bag, but when he got here all he found was a note in the bag saying it was confiscated. He was never able to track it down. At that time, had he been carrying it on his person, he would have been OK.

PUNCHLINE: My son works for a federal government agency and is actually authorized and encouraged to carry his firearm aboard domestic flights. FYI, he's in Iraq now, after he requested the posting.

Mikey
 
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