TSA Agent Confiscates Doll's Tiny Toy Gun, Threatens to Call Cops
A Washington woman had to laugh to keep from losing her mind after a TSA agent in St. Louis threatened to call the cops over a tiny toy gun that belonged to her sock monkey.
Phyllis May of Redmond was on her way back home with her husband when she was stopped at airport security over a suspicious bag.
May, who makes and sells custom sock monkey dolls modeled after pop culture icons, says the brouhaha was over a two-inch toy pistol belonging to "Rooster Monkburn" — a cowboy sock monkey inspired by True Grit protagonist Rooster Cogburn (as played by John Wayne).
"She said ‘this is a gun," May told KING5 News. "I said no, it’s not a gun it’s a prop for my monkey."
But the unnamed TSA agent insisted. "She said ‘If I held it up to your neck, you wouldn’t know if it was real or not," May recalled.
The agent then told May she was required to confiscate the "gun" and call the police.
"I said well go ahead," May is quoted as saying. "And I said really? You’re kidding me right, and she said no it looks like a gun."
The gun was subsequently seized by the agent, who ultimately agreed not to involve the authorities.
"Rooster Monkburn has been disarmed so I’m sure everyone on the plane was safe," May said. "I understand she was doing her job but at some point doesn’t common sense prevail?"
May noted that she also had sewing supplies in the same bag, but that she was allowed to fly with them.
