airport contraband sold on ebay

[PK]

I'm sure most items weren't that important to people. I fly a lot and have been confiscated a few things but I couldn't care less about losing them. I don't have a big problem with ebay auctions if all items were so mundane and unimportant to the owners as mine were. But I can't help but think that there are probably few experiences like the following:

I was stranded on Sept. 11 and caught one of the first flights available to go home (long story but I'll spare you guys). I became friends with a little old lady in a wheelchair (because she looked really scared). They confiscated a pair of scissors she had carried with her. They were scissors that she has carried with her everywhere ever since she was a nurse in WWII when she traveled for the Red Cross. She said that losing those scissors was a minor sacrifice considering airline safety. However, I can see in her eyes that she lost something very dear to her. Only she knows the stories around those scissors and I can imagine how many people she must have helped with the aid of that handy tool. It makes me a little sad to think it may have been trashed or auctioned off for $1.

Anyway, I wish they at least gave the option to tag items and give the owners a matching tag to redeem them. It wouldn't have cost anything.

 

[Bob3]

... gave the option to tag items ...

You do not have to give up your items, you always have the option to get out of line, find the "US Mail" kiosk, and mail the things to yourself.
Most airports also have FedEx drops where you can send the stuff to yourself collect.

Too bad the airport security folks don't mention those options.

 

[Groundhog246]

Bob3 once bubbled...
Not all the goods sold are confiscated, much is just state surplus: http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d...niagold2000&include=0&since=-1&sort=3&rows=25

I gotta bid on that lot. I notice in the second last photo it looks like it even includes a "Scuba tool"

 

[clive francis]

Bob3 once bubbled...
The knives/scissors/corkscrews etc that get confiscated here in CA do indeed get ebayed.
Here's the state's "surplus property" ebay page. Not all the goods sold are confiscated, much is just state surplus: http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d...niagold2000&include=0&since=-1&sort=3&rows=25

lol

i checked the site, and they even confiscated someones tyres off their car!

 

[Bob3]

... they even confiscated someones tyres ...

I wonder if they had them in their carry on or if they were wearing them???
:tease:

 

[eandiver]

Bob3 once bubbled...



Too bad the airport security folks don't mention those options.

Some do, some don't. 90% of the ones I tell say " F%$*it I gotta go, I don't care what you do with it" Usually it's over something minor and inexpensive but those with real valuble items will make other arrangments and I'll do everything I can to help them.

3 Thursdays ago the 2:50PM Cayman Airline flight had a person putting a gas powered scooter, looks like skate board with handlebars, in checked baggage in it's original box. I asked them if it had oil or gas inside and they swore it was brand new, never been operated and bone empty. Opening the box showed me the gas tank was so full some had it had seeped out in the box and it had been ridden. Nice! Nothing like gas fumes in a cargo hold, right? We gave them every option to make alternative shipping arrangments but they just left it..........the airline wasn't too pleased either about their lack of truthfulness.

One of my co-workers adopted a dog a Cayman passenger wasn't allowed to take for lack of paperwork. They swore a relative was coming over to pick it up and gave us their phone number. The number was disconnected when we tried to contact the 2 days later.

 

[Spectre]

I've noticed some airports that make every effort to return stuff to you. I believe it was the Albany airport that had signs at all the registration desks and security checkpoints that informed people of the Mailboxs etc. [or one of those chains] in the airport mall.

The New Bern airport in North Carolina, if I remember correctly, had something setup as well.. I believe it was just a 'tag it and we'll bill you and ship it to you'

 

[Bob3]

... I'll do everything I can to help them.

Way to go, EANDIVER, airports need more folks with your attitude. Tell your boss I said to give you a raise.
What are some of the stranger things you've seen go through the Xray machine?

 

[clive francis]

Bob3 once bubbled...

I wonder if they had them in their carry on or if they were wearing them???
:tease:

well when i visited north claifornia for a couple of weeks back in 97, i did see some people with spare tyres (made from chicken wings and ribs), but i don't think you could have driven on them

 

[eandiver]

Bob3 once bubbled...


What are some of the stranger things you've seen go through the Xray machine?

Frozen fish wraped in a shirt in a suitcase/ 2 coolers, half of an alligator( hide, feet, meat and head ) in each/ a live reticulated (sp) python in a pillow case/ a complete set of S&M fetish items going to Key West that the owner cheerfully expained their uses to us:wacko: / more toys than I have ever imagined and I don't mean the ones you get at Toys R Us / cremated human remains I'm sure the lady was stressed a bit but her words to us were " could you please be careful with the bag, my mother is inside"