Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers made a surprising discovery at Alabama’s Gulf Shores International Airport earlier this month. Lead TSA Officer Justin Dupree was examining checked bags when he spotted the projectiles on his X-ray machine.
Stolen Cannonballs
The cannonballs, which were stolen from nearby Fort Morgan, were wrapped in paper towels. There were five small cannonballs, with the largest being the size of a grapefruit and the smallest only about an inch wide. Law enforcement determined that the cannonballs had been stolen from the fort, which has guarded Mobile Bay since it was completed in 1834 and played a major role in the Civil War.
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and TSA bomb experts confirmed that the cannonballs did not contain any explosives. However, they still couldn’t fly due to security concerns. A juvenile from out of state had taken the cannonballs, and the historical items were returned to the fort. The facility’s director declined to go forward with prosecution.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
