Confiscated items at IAD
 

I flew through IAD on Fri 01/04/08. Was taking my Camelbak with me as I was going skiing. Thought I had cleared everything out, but my bike tool was buried way down inside it. TSA screeners found it and confiscated it.

I'd like to know what happened to it. It's only about $40, but every TSA rep I talked to there pulled a Col Klink: "I know nothing!". There are lists online of other states where you can go through these items (GA, WA, TX, etc.) but none for VA/DC.

I was hoping someone here would have an idea what TSA at IAD does with these. It's hard to imagine that all the IAD items end up going home with TSA screeners.

They get trashed, or sold on ebay. Or taken home by TSAholes.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/biztra...ate-usat_x.htm

e-Bay.

Dont' most airports have facilities for you to mail the item home to yourself? Pretty sure PHL does....

I was in MCO a couple months ago and they have one -- but it's airside :eek:

Best thing to do is smuggle it through security and then mail it to yourself afterward. ;)

Mike

If you smuggle through once, why not both directions. I have a small knife, 1 7/8 inch blade, that I usually remember to leave at home. On the three or four trips where I realized that I had it with me, I have never had a problem getting it through security both ways. In one case, it wasn't until I set off the metal detector that I realized it was in my pocket with my change. The screener asked me to take everything out of my pockets for hand wanding. When I pulled out the change, my knife was there too. So I was there standing with my arms out, with a handful of change and knife, wanded successfully, and sent on my way.

What was the bike tool like? Any tools shorter than seven inches without blades are allowed under the rules. And in my experience, most TSA don't bother to fully unfold a tool to its full length. As long as they don't see a blade and when folded is no where near the seven inches, they just wave it on.

In OKC once they could not identify a dark object in my coat. They just about tore the coat apart. They finally found a 10 milimeter socket and extention.

I thanked them with a smile and told them I had been looking for them for a while.

They had a chuckle, gave it back and I was on my way.

This one had a blade. :(

It was a Topeak Alien II, so about the half the size of your fist.

I realize a bunch of these end up on EBay, but my question is, what's the process for ending up there?

Here's an article that lists the states where you can go and re-purchase your goods:
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-20727057
but VA/DC isn't listed. So this stuff starts at x-ray and then goes ... where? Who manages this process at IAD (and what's their phone/email :p )?

Even if they just dump it after the screeners paw through it, I'd like to know (so I can plan some dumpster diving!).

I'd like to know, then I can find out where I can re-purchase those pink fur-lined handcuffs my ex- had confiscated a few years back. :p

Buy new ones -- you have absolutely no way to know who's been using them since. :D

Don't you think the thread title is misleading? After all, the TSA doesn't confiscate items. Passengers voluntarily surrender them.

Of course, if they didn't volunteer to do this, they would be unable to fly.

:rolleyes:

...Sec. 12, par. 34 TSA Internal Regulations:

"...All confiscated items shall:
1. If under $500 in value, offered:
a. to the confiscating Agent first
b. if refused, then the Supervisor
c. if refused, then any TSA employee
d. if refused, then it shall be destroyed beyond recognition

2. If over the value of $500 in value, sent immediately by overnight express to Mr. Kip Hawley, Washington, D.C....."