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Posted on 07/29/2026 11:20:11 AM PDT by Red Badger
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents discovered stolen Civil War-era cannonballs in checked luggage at an Alabama airport on July 18, according to a TSA announcement.
Lead TSA Officer Justin Dupree surveyed the historical artifacts on his X-ray screen after Gulf Shores International Airport security technology flagged the bag, the TSA press release stated. Upon inspection, Dupree wondered whether the opaque object might be a medicine ball before becoming concerned.
“My first thought was, ‘I couldn’t see a fuse and need to get some help quick,’” Dupree said. “I couldn’t see the entire item but was scared I might have been holding a live explosive.”
Supervisory TSA Officer Richard Cash alerted a TSA explosives specialist and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, since he was concerned the bag contained “a potentially dangerous item,” the agency revealed.
The officials discovered five small inert Civil War-era cannonballs wrapped in paper towels. Dupree described the largest as being about the size of a grapefruit and weighing about as much as a shotput. Three of the smaller ones were a little larger than an inch in size, Airport Director Jesse Fosnaugh told KLFY. None contained explosive material.
“I had never seen anything quite this unique,” Dupree said. “I’ve seen inert grenades and training munitions but never an Indiana Jones-esque stolen artifact-type situation.”
Cash agreed that he had never seen anything like it and added that because the cannonballs were “artillery munitions,” they were considered prohibited items.
Police investigating the incident say a juvenile stole the cannonballs from a storage area in Fort Morgan, a historical site on Mobile Bay where several Civil War battles occurred, according to USA Today. Fort Morgan personnel identified the cannonballs, which bore the paint markings that the historical site applies to artifacts.
All sorts of banned items are discovered in luggage by TSA screeners, but cannonballs stolen from a Civil War-era fort are not an everyday find. https://t.co/biz3mzb9Jc pic.twitter.com/g2IsmNsM1C
— CNN (@CNN) July 28, 2026 TSA agents discovered the artifacts in the checked bag of the juvenile’s grandmother, who said that she did not know that the cannonballs had been stolen, the outlet reported.
The unidentified passenger also said she obtained the cannonballs at a roadside stand, KLFY said.
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office said they had returned the artifacts, and the historical site’s director decided not to proceed with prosecution. The Alabama Historical Commission is actively investigating what occurred.
The Gulf Shores International Airport started commercial flights in May 2025. Cash said this was the second incident they had encountered since the airport’s opening.
“That would have to be the weirdest thing in our short existence that we’ve ever had come through TSA,” Fosnaugh said.
TSA Alabama Federal Security Director Tara Corse praised the officers for their work and warned other travelers against bringing similar items.
“Even if inert and not active, travelers should avoid bringing weapons of any kind, including replicas, to the airport. They can cause security alerts, flight delays and safety concerns,” Corse said.
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Ping!................
How is this the TSA’s job? It’s bad enough that it exists, but this is mission creep. A thief is not a terrorist.
I have a Civil War-era grapeshot on my mantle. I brought it back from Virginia in my suitcase with no problem.
No reason to confiscate iron balls.
The passenger should have just said they were ballast or something else.
I have a Civil War cannonball on my mantle.
Actually, this is just, plain creepy. Nothing even says she was a thief, except the so-called TSA.
Now, if she were black and they were flat-screen TVs, there would have been no problem...
It’s a metal ball. Why should it be prohibited? Because you could put explosives in it? You could put explosives in any container.
True. Alleged thief.
This also is what comes from posting a link to a story about the story instead of drilling down to the actual source for the story.
I would think most FReepers know what cannonballs and grapeshot look like. I would be more interested in the pic of the perp. But since he’s a juvenile no pics allowed..............
I have two civil war era 4-inch solid cannonballs on a shelf. I hope I don’t get raided. I don’t have a cannon to fire them toward communist protest rallies.
They accidentally found something they didnt know what it was.
Thats how tsa actually “works”.
And he just stuffed them into his shorts and walked out??
Yes, they can.............
“No reason to confiscate iron balls.”
_________________
Wrong. The items were stolen by the passenger’s grandson from an historical museum in Alabama. Strangely, the museum decided not to seek prosecution.
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