NEW YORK — Sharp-eyed Transportation Security Administration officers at JFK Airport caught an elderly Bronx man trying to pass through security with a 5-inch knife strapped to the inside of his walker, the TSA reported.
The man, who has not been identified, was passing through a security checkpoint on his way to a flight to the Dominican Republic. Because walkers are made of metal, they aren't passed through metal detectors and are instead hand-inspected by TSA officers.
"It shows that people do tuck their belongings in different places, all types of belongings, including knives," TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said. "Some people are not happy with the fact that we do have to inspect walkers. But here's a prime example of a reason why."
The TSA confiscated the knife and, after consulting with Port Authority police, allowed the man to board his flight. He was not charged.
"It was determined that there was no true threat to the aircraft," Farbstein said.
