2 Men Arrested Allegedly Trying To Board Plane With Guns

WCAU (Philadelphia) ^ | 5/20/2005 | staff

[wjersey]

Two people were arrested Thursday night for allegedly trying to board a plane with guns at Philadelphia International Airport.

NBC 10 News has learned, and the FBI has confirmed that the men were just one step away from boarding an American Airlines flight sometime after 8 p.m. Thursday.

Sources told NBC 10 News that Timothy Robinson, of Philadelphia, and Steven Lundy, of Roselle, N.J., cleared the first checkpoint and were headed toward the airplane when an American Airlines representative looked at their paperwork and saw that the men were posing as police officers. The representative felt uncomfortable because she didn't think that they were really police officers, so she called the police department.

FBI agents said that the two men showed airport officials fake badges and fake police identification cards to clear security with the loaded handguns. They also filled out paperwork claiming that they were private police. Authorities said one gun was a .357 Magnum and the second gun was a 9 mm.

The Transportation and Safety Administration launched an investigation and the FBI arrested both men.

Robinson and Lundy were taken to the federal building in downtown Philadelphia Friday and were arraigned on charges connected to posing as polce officers and attempting to board an airplane with firearms.

The investigation is continuing.

[stylin19a]

thanx for the info...sorry for my mis-directed disgust.

[Cagey]

And from Newsday......

They were held overnight and released on $10,000 unsecured bond Friday afternoon; they have another hearing scheduled for May 27.

Robinson and Lundy could not be reached for comment because they did not have listed phone numbers; it was not immediately clear if they had lawyers.

[Michael.SF.]

THIS JUST IN (literally):

They were held overnight and released on $10,000 unsecured bond Friday afternoon; they have another hearing scheduled for May 27.

[Doe Eyes]

Just exercising their 2nd Amendment rights. If we all carried guns onto airplanes, there wouldn't be a problem.

[Integrityrocks]

I am speechless. This is really bad.

[Michael.SF.]

Dang! I have to learn to type faster!

[Integrityrocks]

You are correct, but until the rules change... this is really bad. I would be MUCH happier if every person was armed, but this is bad.

[EdHallick]

I would not doubt it in the least.

[chet_in_ny]

Do we know who the judge was that set bail at $10,000?

[JeffersonRepublic.com]

"Out on bail?!! OUTRAGEOUS!!! "

Don't make a big deal out of it. They only pretended to be police officers with guns. It's not like they got on the plane. I'm sure they would have stopped before getting on the plane, and let everyone in on their little harmless joke. /sarcasm off

Their heads should be mounted on the tip of each wing.

[Calpernia]

ping

[phoenix0468]

Except when one went off and through a bulkhead. Then the problem might be the plane ripping to pieces in mid air. But hey, I am all for second ammendment rights. Just remember that you are not riding on "public transportation" but a privately owned vehicle. Let's not get carried away with those rights, K?

[jocon307]

"...until the rules change... this is really bad..."

I agree, and there were two of them, both pulling a scam. One can only what exactly they were up to. Unless they are some low-level Sopranos wannabes, in which case I wouldn't worry about them.

I certainly wouldn't have granted them bail though, aren't air travel violations Federal offenses?

[stylin19a]

Upon further review....from TSA web-site:

National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System Notification for Law Enforcement Officers Flying Armed

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in an effort to further enhance the security measures in place in airports nationwide will be instituting a pilot program designed to strengthen the ability of TSA staff to verify the identity of individuals who arrive at the TSA Screening Checkpoint and identify themselves as a Law Enforcement Officers (LEO) authorized to fly with their firearm.

The pilot begins on April 15th and continues through July 15th. During the pilot, TSA is requesting that all Federal, state and local law enforcement officers traveling via commercial aircraft while armed provide advance notification to TSA via the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS). TSA is requesting that the LEO or his/her office send an administrative message via NLETS, containing the traveling LEO's name, flight information and mission need to fly armed (required for State/local only). TSA's Originating Agency Identifier (ORI) Number is VATSA1200.

TSA will generate an immediate confirmation message to the LEO. The LEO should bring this confirmation message in addition to the following items: badge/credential, a second form of government identification and the air carrier's Notice of LEO Flying Armed form to the TSA screening checkpoint. State and local LEOs are still required to present a letter from his/her agency authorizing them to fly armed. Participation in this project is voluntary. LEOs authorized to fly armed who present themselves at the screening checkpoint without a TSA confirmation message will be permitted to fly armed after TSA or local law enforcement personnel review their identification, required forms and ask several questions of the LEOs. Once cleared, the LEO will enter his/her information in the logbook maintained at the checkpoint and proceed into the sterile area.

It appears clearance is by LEO or TSA.

[Loyal Buckeye]

Any chance they are part of Homeland Security and were testing the system?

[expatpat]

Or Farrakhan's guys?

[buffyt]

Just heard about all the FAKE police ID's the other day on the news....

[.38sw]

Well, this is confusing:

...when an American Airlines representative looked at their paperwork and saw that the men were posing as police officers.

The paperwork showed that the two men were posing as police officers?

[riverrunner]

A hole in a bulkhead made by a handgun round is not going to cause the plane to break up. That is just a myth caused by the anti's.

[expatpat]

Let's not get too picky. Their paperwork claimed they were cops but in hindsight they weren't. OK? Should the account leave out "psoing as", and confuse everyone?