‘Several’ fake IDs were found stashed inside a passenger’s bag at LaGuardia Airport in New York

NEED TO KNOW

• TSA officers at LaGuardia Airport found fake IDs in a passenger’s bag after an Xbox triggered a security alarm
• The passenger was arrested just before boarding their flight after police confirmed the IDs were fraudulent
• TSA emphasizes identifying fake IDs as crucial for maintaining airport security and traveler safety

A routine airport screening turned into a surprising bust when a passenger’s Xbox set off a security scanner in New York.

TSA officer Ashley Leo was remotely monitoring a screening area at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport when a passenger’s gaming system set off an alarm, per an agency press release. Leo subsequently diverted the bag to another secured area where supervisory officer Christopher Ramos was stationed.

While searching the bag, next to the Xbox, Ramos came across a plastic bag containing “several fake IDs.”

“I noticed various driver’s licenses with different dates of birth and different class types, but all with the same photograph,” Ramos said. “I was focused on following our screening procedure and paying close attention to anything that appeared unusual.”

Several of the IDs appeared to show a famous photo of musician Tyler the Creator in a blue fuzzy hat.

Ramos added: “When I discovered the fraudulent IDs, I knew it was important to report the situation through the proper channels.”

He then contacted a TSA manager, who agreed with his findings. The officers thus contacted the LaGuardia TSA Coordination Center, Port Authority Police and a TSA inspector.

During a brief investigation, Port Authority Police confirmed the IDs were fraudulent. The passenger was quickly located and arrested “moments before he was scheduled to board his flight.”

TSA’s federal security director for LaGuardia, John Essig, said identifying fraudulent IDs is an important part of operations: “It helps ensure that people entering secure areas of the airport are who they claim to be and supports the safety of the traveling public.”

The individual mentioned in the report was not identified. PEOPLE has reached out to the TSA for further information.

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This isn’t the first unusual item TSA has stumbled across in recent weeks.

In a Sept. 17 Instagram post, the agency revealed a passenger at Tampa International Airport was caught trying to sneak a knife through security inside a “baseball bat-shaped flashlight.” The post included photos of the blade hidden inside the contraption.

View this post on Instagram

“NOT a HIT,” the caption began. “In any carry-on bag. Our officers at TPA Airport were calling foul when they discovered this bat-knife-large flashlight hidden in the lining of a passenger’s carry-on bag. Keeping this heavy hitter in a checked bag is a homerun in our book!”

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