I removed it (it's a one-piece unit) from the box thinking I could carry it on, and it's a big enough unit that it would be too bulky with my other carry-on must-haves. So yep, I ended up shipping it home...$13.00 UPS Ground. I'll deal.

I stand by the original other crux of this thread...I can't frickin' believe that we're at a point where we can't trust our so-called "first line of national defense" not to steal whatever they darned well please from our baggage. This is an outrage.