Posted on 10/06/2013 10:45:58 AM PDT by nickcarraway
The unidentified 9-year-old was able to get past airport security and screening agents before touching down in Nevada. His presence aroused flight attendants' suspicions and they alerted authorities, who took him into custody upon landing.
A 9-year-old boy snuck past airport security and boarded a flight from Minneapolis to Las Vegas without appearing to have ever held or shown a boarding pass according to an airport official.
Despite several layers of security and fear of global threats to the nation's airports, the unaccompanied child "went through the entire security screening process" Thursday without a hitch, according to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport spokesman Patrick Hogan.
It was only until Delta flight 1651 was making its land that flight attendants allegedly grew suspicious of the child and alerted authorities on the ground. Officers with the Las Vegas Police Department greeted the boy and placed him in custody with child protective services according to Hogan.
Additional details about the boy and the security lapse were referred to the TSA, who declined questions Sunday, but said they are currently investigating the incident.
According to surveillance video, at 10:37 a.m., the boy arrived to the airport solo on a southbound light-rail car.
He was screened at Terminal 1 and granted access to its nine airlines despite appearing to have never produced a required ticket. Identification for child passengers is not a requirement, according to Hogan.
At one point he's believed to have lumped himself in with another family traveling. Outside of this, strenuous effort by the child to mask his passage wasn't obviously seen on the video surveillance, according to Hogan.
Police say it's not immediately clear where the boy is from though it's suggested he may have been a runaway from the Twin Cities area who used a light-rail car, pictured, to get from the city to the airport.
Police say it's not immediately clear where the boy is from though it's suggested he may have been a runaway from the Twin Cities area who used a light-rail car, pictured, to get from the city to the airport.
Minneapolis police tell the Daily News the residency of the child is not yet confirmed while KARE reports that the boy is believed to have been a runaway from the Twin Cities area.
The public transit system used by the boy has stops ranging from downtown Minneapolis to the north and Mall of America to the south.
But as security footage shows the boy's solo venture to the airport may not have been his first.
"He appears to have been at the airport the day before as well," said Hogan.
That Wednesday afternoon security footage shows the boy dining at an airport restaurant in a pre-screening area while carrying an item of luggage that didn't belong to him.
The child allegedly stole a piece of luggage off a carousel, carried it to the restaurant where he ordered lunch, and asked his server to watch his suitcase while he used the restroom, KARE reports.
The request by the server was granted, but instead of the boy returning to collect the suitcase and pay his bill, he disappeared.
A request for comment from the Las Vegas Police Department was not immediately returned.
It's just about controlling the sheeple and preparing us for the showers.
the spirit of Huck Finn lives on - bless him and his wild ways.
The kid was obviously just doing the Community Organizing the rest of America doesn’t want to do.
The request by the server was granted, but instead of the boy returning to collect the suitcase and pay his bill, he disappeared."
Smart kid. Free meal, free plane ride, and I’ll bet free light rail ride as well.
This kid is obviously going somewhere, although I’m not so sure it’s in the right direction.
Security was too busy feeling up 90 year old women.
TSA. Egg. Face.
Get me CSI: TSA QUICK.
Stuff happens, always will. I’m just glad they didn’t shoot him.
The kid’s a criminal, plain & simple.
He is well on his way to being a rat politician.
Security professional and politician in the making.
And so was Huck Finn. So your point is....?
It seems that by repeating the information that I have already read, you are trying to tell me something....
Wonder who coached him.
The story reads as if it were written by a nine year old kid.
I say young thief
you say free meal
I say the server probably got stuck paying for it.
You say free plane ride
I say the other passengers paid. The kid is a thief
He got the same training my kids did.
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