Originally Posted by
Boggie Dog
No TSA cannot confiscate items. At least not legally.
TSA must give the traveler a choice to give the item to someone else, check it in checked luggage, return it to their car, or mail it to themselves.
The OP had his/her property stolen by a TSA employee. That TSA employee should be charged for theft and tried in a court of law. There can be no tolerance for TSA abuse of the public and it will not stop until these TSA criminals are taken to task.
I don't mean in the legal sense, but "throw it away or you are not flying today" is really the same thing. Being forced to give it up or having it forceably taken away is a fine line.