Somehow, This Just Doen't Seem Right...

[RobesonsRme.com]

I don't know why people show up at air terminals with knives in their pockets, but I almost did it once myself, so I guess it's just habit to drop it in one's pocket.

But, TSA will take it.

And then by some manner not understood by me, they show up on Ebay.

Such is the case, or so it is claimed, with this large group of "Leatherman" knives.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/272191146560?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

I guess the idea of TSA or someone closely tied to them, profiting by the misfortune of all the previous owners of these just seems wrong somehow.

And that is not the only so called "TSA Confiscated Knives" auction I've seen, they pop up often. Whether that is truly the source of the knives, I don't know.

But, this one has good stuff in it.

Charlie Noyes

[RobesonsRme.com]

Here's a link to his other auctions:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/xcaducusx/m.htm ... 7675.l2562

I suspect this seller is making out quite well with these.

Charlie Noyes

[gsmith7158]

Charlie do you think these guys are TSA agents and get to keep what they confiiscate? Seems almost KGBish that someone gets to profit from this silly government program. I would like to to know what the chain of events is to acquire this knives from the TSA.

[RobesonsRme.com]

I guess one would have to ask the seller, XCaducusX, and see if he's forthcoming with those answers or just tells you to go jump.

This particular guy is listing quality stuff. Some of the other "TSA" auctions I've seen were just a hodge-podge of cutlery crap.

So, if these are truly TSA confiscated knives and tools, someone is doing some judicious culling, picking and choosing.

And are all these coming from one major big city airport like NY, Chicago or LAX or are they being collected from all over the country?

This seller is located in San Francisco, so that's a big enough airport to probably produce this level of confiscated knives, I think.

Someone has themselves a lucrative little business going here.

I have no idea if this is legal, illegal, inappropriate or what. I'm not accusing anybody of anything. Like I said, it just seems wrong somehow.

Charlie Noyes

[bighomer]

Charlie just punch in tsa con. items learn all about it.

[TripleF]

Charlie just punch in tsa con. items learn all about it.

Found this:
http://www.eyeflare.com/article/where-b ... cated-tsa/

[RobesonsRme.com]

I wrote TSA and sent them a link to the auction.

They responded rather quickly, actually, that TSA does not "confiscate" personal items from passengers, they are left voluntarily and thus become the property of TSA who then either donates them, destroys them or sells them at public auction.

I assume the voluntary leaving of a valuable knife would be predicated upon whether one would rather maintain ownership or board the plane for which one had purchased a ticket.

I'd still be interested in knowing the primary employer of the seller of this particular bunch of obviously culled knives.

Charlie Noyes

[Mumbleypeg]

http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... SA#p421696

FYI, old thread with more on same subject.

Ken

[RobesonsRme.com]

This is the response I received from TSA within an hour of e-mailing my questions to them:

"Thank you for contacting the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Contact Center regarding the retrieval of items abandoned at a security checkpoint.

Prohibited items left by passengers at airport security checkpoints are referred to as voluntarily abandoned property (VAP). Under U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) regulations, an item is deemed voluntarily abandoned if it is “abandoned to a Federal agency in such a manner as to vest title thereto in the United States.” TSA does not seize or confiscate personal property from passengers. There are no provisions for TSA to return prohibited items to passengers that choose to leave them at the security checkpoints.

Generally, when a Federal agency determines that it has excess personal property, it reports the excess to GSA. GSA then determines whether there are any Federal requirements for use of the property. GSA often sells at public auction any VAP with commercial value or an estimated value that exceeds the cost of care and handling. However, if the property has no commercial value, or the estimated cost of its continued care and handling exceeds the estimated proceeds from its sale, it may be destroyed or donated to a public body by the agency.

TSA does not sell VAP. TSA typically donates non-hazardous VAP and disposes of hazardous VAP in accordance with Federal and local laws and regulations. Per the Property Act, TSA, in lieu of abandonment or destruction, donates excess personal property (non-hazardous VAP) to a public body without going through GSA. A public body is any department, agency, special purpose district, or other instrumentality of a State or local government; Native-American tribe; or any agency of the Federal Government.

The overwhelming majority of non-hazardous VAP is donated to State Agencies for Surplus Property (SASP), a public body established by each State to receive and redistribute excess Government property. SASPs and other public bodies that receive TSA donated property may further donate or sell it in various ways, including public auction or through other means, such as eBay. In addition, members of the public often purchase this property at public auction and resell it through eBay or other methods. For more information on contacting your local SASP representative, please visit GSA’s Web site at www.gsa.gov\sasp.

We hope this information was helpful.

TSA Contact Center"


Emphasis is mine.

Charlie Noyes

[wlf]

I'd agree the voluntary part is predicated by being able to board your flight or not.

[jerryd6818]

Or if you showed up at the airport early enough and you drove there, you could hoof it back to your vehicle and leave it there. I've lost three or four to TSA (the voluntary part is subjective) but thank goodness I carry inexpensive knives.

For a while after 9/11 you were between a rock and a hard place once you reached the security check point. If you forgot and still had your knife on you, you could "donate" it or miss your flight because the lines were loooong and time was usually short. I don't recall when it happened but at some point I forgot once again and was offered a UPS pouch from a stack they had laying there. Fill it out, drop in your knife and they would pass it on to UPS for you. When you returned home, like your dog and/or your wife, it would be waiting on you. It cost $10. I don't know if that option is still available because it's been a long time since I've forgotten to take care of my knife and I don't fly as much as I did while still working.