What's a forgotten item a security has found in your bag?

[tdimdad]

Last night I got stuck for a while in BNE domestic security (QF regular checkpoint). The image showed something that they interpreted as a long allen key and started to search for it. After gradually taking out everything, rummaging through my belongings and scanning my trolley four times, they did indeed find an about 10 cm long allen key inside the lining of my trolley. I swear I have no recollection when and why I would have put it there but the indent in the bag's structure looks like it had been there for long. The same bag has been through dozens of checks with no questions raised until the team in BNE last night picked it up.

A few years ago, security in HEL spotted a tiny hand creme tube in my bag. I had blissfully forgotten it's existence as it was at the very bottom of my shoulder bag and had been there 2-3 years, untouched.

I have to give kudos to those security staff who are this sharp in their jobs! They are the ones who do justice to the procedure.

What "lost" items has security picked up for you?

 

[Pushka]

Not forgotten by us but after a repair of our luggage, the Qantas repair people left a battery drill inside the zip cover where the handle structure sits.

'Forgotten' by me - in June at LHR I had a nightmare forget. I had changed the luggage around for a stay over in KL and moved multiple liquid items into my hand luggage. Moisturisers and shampoo. In original large containers, so I didn't have to open large suitcase in KL. What the heck was I thinking. I took ages to clear security.

Young 8 year old son a few years ago packed his own backpack for family holiday to Bali. We were asked at security if there was anything of concern. I asked young son. He reached in and took out a pair of toy handcuffs and multiple little boy items. Needless to say that story was repeated by us at his wedding speech last year, and said handcuffs were handed over to the Bride by me as a joke in our speech. Took the house down.

 

[cove]

Manicure Scissors in my carry on in Singapore after traveling To the US and back. It was on the final return leg and so 5 airports missed them in screening.

 

[Scr77]

My parents were going to visit my brother and wife who had moved to Cyprus. They were taking bags full of all sorts of weird and wonderful things like car jumper leads. One of the bags was provided and filled by my sister-in-laws mother. This bag ended up going as hand luggage and after my parents say yes to “did you pack these bags”, Melbourne security pull out a wheel brace and large kitchen carving knife!

They were allowed to keep the wheel brace as hand luggage.

 

[Cynicor]

In Kyrgyzstan we were travelling with avalanche airbags- these have a tiny bit of explosive along with compressed gas cylinders. Huge debacle getting on board with them, which resulted in us cutting it quite close and an escort to the plane through the airport, security etc.

Anyway, one of my mates turns out to have a full size screwdriver in his bag. But before we can tell them to just chuck it, the airport offical escorting us talks to the screeners and they chuck it back in the bag and let us through.

I assume the conversation was something like “these crazy foreigners are already flying with explosives and gas tanks, if they’re taking down the plane the screwdriver doesn’t matter”

 

[Colin 2905]

Not "lost" or forgotten as such, but I'll mention it anyway....

Mrs 2905 got pulled aside at CBR for what was thought to be rope in her carry-on bag. The "rope" was just a packet of Allen's Snakes Alive (which could lead to series of jokes about snakes on a plane, but anyway).

Meanwhile, the powerboard with a 3m cable that I had in my carry-on bag went through unchallenged, even though it probably could've been used to do whatever nefarious things Mrs 2905 was going to do with her "rope".

 

[blackcat20]

Scissors. I was on a research trip and just threw my whole pencil case in my bag

 

[BriarFlyer]

We were heading to Sydney to visit son and DIL-to-be and a relative asked us to deliver their engagement gift, which I thoughtlessly packed in our carry-on (and only luggage.) The gift, it turned out, was kitchen knives.

 

[tdimdad]

Not forgotten by us but after a repair of our luggage, the Qantas repair people left a battery drill inside the zip cover where the handle structure sits.

And there you just explained my allen key, thank you so kindly! My trolley wheels were replaced earlier this year. The shop must have left their tool inside my bag. Since then, the key has done a few countries and several domestic trips completely unnoticed.

Those hand-cuffs of your son's are classic. Such a good thing that you were able to ensure they are now in the hands of the right person [pun intended].

 

[Pushka]

And there you just explained my allen key, thank you so kindly! My trolley wheels were replaced earlier this year. The shop must have left their tool inside my bag. Since then, the key has done a few countries and several domestic trips completely unnoticed.

Those hand-cuffs of your son's are classic. Such a good thing that you were able to ensure they are now in the hands of the right person [pun intended].

It’s kinda weird that one post on AFF and a follow up one has solved a long pondered problem.

 

[Happy Dude]

Tent peg. In the bottom of a work laptop bag passed down to me. It was in my possession for about two years and had passed through airport security many many times in that time. I found it when I got a new bag was cleaning out the old one.

In that time, I also was prevented from taking one plastic cable tie (maybe 6-8") in my carry on as apparently that could be used as a restraining device. But a neck tie, shoe lace or belt could not because they weren't on "the list".

 

[drron]

Mrsdrron lost a pair of scissors 4 -5 years ago. After at least 30 flights SIN security found them in a small pouch in the bottom of her carry on. The last flight before our cruise.

 

[mannej]

An old sports foam roller. Annoying but what can you do. The screener knew what it was straight away but that is life!

 

[Himeno]

The main thing that security finds in my bag is a ziplock bag of various foreign coins (coins of ~14 different currencies).
If my bag gets pulled at a checkpoint, 99% chance that it is the coins. The bag was pulled for a manual check at 60% of checkpoints on my last trip.

The few times my bag has been pulled for something other then the coins was for an umbrella (CBR), aloe vera for a sunburn (MCO), penlights (ITM) or tangle mess of laptop power/USB cables.
None of which was dumped.

 

[mel-world]

Bought one of those snow domes in Moscow airport for a work colleague who collects them. This was some years ago, well before Ukraine. I carried it in hand luggage thru a few other Russian and European airports before getting stopped and chastised by a very loud security official at MAN before heading home. Obviously wanted everyone around to hear about my mistake.

Told I could either go back and check it (Wot!?!) or dispose of it. In choosing the latter, my reward was the dome falling from the counter the official placed it on and smashing all over the floor - I guess to prove it contained a liquid. I'm sure I did not laugh out loud until I was well and truly away from the security area.

 

[Fifi2207]

Last night I got stuck for a while in BNE domestic security (QF regular checkpoint). The image showed something that they interpreted as a long allen key and started to search for it. After gradually taking out everything, rummaging through my belongings and scanning my trolley four times, they did indeed find an about 10 cm long allen key inside the lining of my trolley. I swear I have no recollection when and why I would have put it there but the indent in the bag's structure looks like it had been there for long. The same bag has been through dozens of checks with no questions raised until the team in BNE last night picked it up.

A few years ago, security in HEL spotted a tiny hand creme tube in my bag. I had blissfully forgotten it's existence as it was at the very bottom of my shoulder bag and had been there 2-3 years, untouched.

I have to give kudos to those security staff who are this sharp in their jobs! They are the ones who do justice to the procedure.

What "lost" items has security picked up for you?

A couple of weeks ago came through Wellington back to Sydney. Got home opened (checked in) suitcase and there was a customs notification that my GHD ($500grrrr) travel straighteners had been confiscated and destroyed.
I travel domestic and international with these all the time!!! Sometimes in hold sometimes carry on. Never ever been any issue. Checked GHD website they are IATA approved for cabin and hold.

To cut a long story short I contacted Customs with this info and miraculously my straightener was found at Wellington and returned to me. Now I just always carry it on.

 

[tdimdad]

The main thing that security finds in my bag is a ziplock bag of various foreign coins (coins of ~14 different currencies).
If my bag gets pulled at a checkpoint, 99% chance that it is the coins. The bag was pulled for a manual check at 60% of checkpoints on my last trip.

They are just checking that you stay below the $10,000 limit...

 

[Pushka]

US security were very busy checking through hand luggage. They found - a book!

 

[Cynicor]

US security were very busy checking through hand luggage. They found - a book!

Americans would find that the worst…

 

[Solid]

Couple of weeks ago, small masonry drill bit still in its packaging. I had bought two when at the hardware store on the basis it saved me going back another time and forgot about it in my man bag.

At Easter two bubble wands we were taking for the junior solids to NZ, over the liquid limit.