A Florida man actually tried to board a flight to Orlando with a fake grenade

A St. Augustine man was stopped by officials Tuesday after trying to board a flight from Pennsylvania to the Orlando Sanford International Airport with a fake grenade and a real, unassembled rocket-propelled launcher.

The man’s bag set off an alarm at the Lehigh Valley International Airport as it went through the Transportation Security Administration’s baggage security system, according to a TSA press release. 

The bag contained the weapon’s barrel, sights, trigger and grenade, but officials determined the grenade was a replica and the launcher was non-functioning, TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein wrote on Twitter.
The man told officials that he believed taking the replica in a checked bag was allowed, according to the press release.

“Contrary the passenger’s belief, however, no realistic or replica weapons are permitted to be brought onto airplanes,” the TSA says.

The items were confiscated, and the passenger was allowed to continue his trip to the Orlando Sanford International Airport.

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This article appears in Mar 6-12, 2019.