80-year-old SC woman did not know her cane contained hidden sword, TSA says

Transportation Security Administration officials say they believe an 80-year-old South Carolina woman had no idea until she went through airport security that the walking cane she was attempting to take on an airplane contained a hidden sword. Regional spokesman Mark Howell recounted the incident Thursday at Myrtle Beach International Airport as part of an effort to highlight examples of dangerous items recently carried by passengers departing the airport. Howell told reporters secret swords are not actually that uncommon a discovery for TSA screeners, since people sometimes buy the canes at thrift stores without realizing there's a sword inside. Howell emphasized that people can't take anything on board that resembles a weapon, including toy guns and squishy stress balls that look like hand grenades. "Here in Myrtle Beach, it’s somewhere between 25 and 50 pounds of these prohibited items a month,” said Howell said “And that’s not including liquid gels and aerosol, which is the most common thing.” TSA officials said knives are the second-most common prohibited item found, second to sunscreen. Little credit card-shaped knives are also said to be very common, because travelers don’t think to check their wallets for knives. To get breaking news alerts sent to your phone, download the WYFF 4 app here.

Transportation Security Administration officials say they believe an 80-year-old South Carolina woman had no idea until she went through airport security that the walking cane she was attempting to take on an airplane contained a hidden sword.

Regional spokesman Mark Howell recounted the incident Thursday at Myrtle Beach International Airport as part of an effort to highlight examples of dangerous items recently carried by passengers departing the airport.



Howell told reporters secret swords are not actually that uncommon a discovery for TSA screeners, since people sometimes buy the canes at thrift stores without realizing there's a sword inside.



Howell emphasized that people can't take anything on board that resembles a weapon, including toy guns and squishy stress balls that look like hand grenades.


"Here in Myrtle Beach, it’s somewhere between 25 and 50 pounds of these prohibited items a month,” said Howell said “And that’s not including liquid gels and aerosol, which is the most common thing.”



TSA officials said knives are the second-most common prohibited item found, second to sunscreen.

Little credit card-shaped knives are also said to be very common, because travelers don’t think to check their wallets for knives.

To get breaking news alerts sent to your phone, download the WYFF 4 app here.

