TSA finds stolen Civil War-era cannonballs in a passenger’s suitcase at an Alabama airport
The inert munitions were traced to Fort Morgan, and officials said a juvenile took them from a storage area before they were returned.
- On July 18, 2026, Lead TSA Officer Justin Dupree discovered five stolen Civil War-era cannonballs wrapped in paper towels inside checked luggage at Gulf Shores International Airport, triggering a security alert.
- Investigators traced the inert munitions to Fort Morgan after the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office determined a 17-year-old juvenile from out of state had stolen them from the historic site's storage area.
- Wrapped in paper towels, the munitions ranged from grapefruit-sized to one inch wide, prompting Dupree to say he had "never seen anything quite this unique" in his four years with the TSA.
- Airport officials returned the cannonballs to Fort Morgan, and the facility's director declined to press criminal charges, allowing the grandmother passenger to board her flight to Oklahoma City.
- TSA Alabama Federal Security Director Tara Corse warned travelers to avoid packing weapons or replicas, as such items trigger security alerts and flight delays, even when inert.
111 Articles
111 Articles
TSA Finds Stolen Civil War-Era Cannonballs in Passenger’s Suitcase at Alabama Airport
GULF SHORES, Ala.—A TSA agent discovered a set of stolen Civil War-era cannonballs in a passenger’s suitcase during a routine security screening at an Alabama airport earlier this month, law enforcement officials said. The Transportation Security Administration said in a statement Friday that the relics were discovered at Gulf Shores International Airport on July 18 after the agent observed what appeared to be a large, opaque item inside a suitc…
TSA Finds 5 Stolen Civil War-Era Cannonballs in Passenger’s Luggage
If you’ve ever wondered whether one could—theoretically, of course— transport five stolen Civil War-era cannonballs by wrapping them in paper towels and stuffing them into checked luggage before boarding a flight, the answer is no. Whether you can bring them as a carry-on remains untested. But thanks to the folks at the TSA, five Civil […] The post TSA Finds 5 Stolen Civil War-Era Cannonballs in Passenger’s Luggage appeared first on VICE.
From regulations to relatability: TSA embraces a quirkier online voice
When an airline passenger attempted to bring a literal cannonball onto a flight, the Transportation Security Administration obviously stepped in — which is to be expected. But what might not be traditional is how the agency handled it on social media. For months now, TSA has been showing a little bit of personality online, especially on its Threads account, which is titled “Travel Tips & Dad Joke Hits” (with an aside that reads, “Yep it’s the o…
TSA discovers five stolen Civil War-era cannonballs in a traveler’s luggage in Alabama
TSA officers got quite the surprise at Alabama’s Gulf Shores International Airport (JKA) when they discovered a passenger trying to carry “a stolen historic relic” in their checked luggage — Civil War-era cannonballs wrapped in paper towels.
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