‘Vampire’ straw found hidden in traveler’s backpack at Boston airport, cops say
One straw hidden in a traveler’s backpack pouch resulted in the man’s arrest at an airport in Boston, police said.
The 26-year-old was caught with a sharp, titanium “vampire” straw at the Boston Logan International Airport on April 23, according to Massachusetts State Police.
Police arrested the Chicago man on a charge of carrying a dangerous weapon after they were called to a security checkpoint when Transportation Security Administration officers found the straw, a news release said.
“The passenger artfully concealed the Vampire straw with other straws,” Transportation Security Administration Dan Velez told McClatchy News in a statement April 25.
“Vampire” straws aren’t allowed in carry-on bags, Velez wrote April 24 on Twitter.
The man told police he bought the straw from a company called Szaboinc, which advertises the straw’s dual purposes online.
It can be used to drink beverages and as a self defense dagger — with a chiseled tip “sharp enough to puncture most synthetic materials,” police said.
The company also advertises it as “one weapon you will actually use every day” that can be hidden in a cup “without attracting attention.”
The man posted bail after his arrest and is due in court for an arraignment, according to state police.
This story was originally published April 25, 2023 at 11:52 AM with the headline "‘Vampire’ straw found hidden in traveler’s backpack at Boston airport, cops say."
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