TSA agents find non-working grenade launcher in luggage

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - A Florida man's plans to bring a military rocket-propelled grenade launcher back home were shot down after security screeners at a Pennsylvania airport spotted the non-functioning weapon in his checked bag.

The Transportation Security Administration says the unassembled parts of the launcher and a replica grenade were found on Monday when an alarm went off as the bag passed through security equipment at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Allentown, about 60 miles (96 kilometers ) north of Philadelphia.

The man, from St. Augustine, was stopped by police and told officials he thought he could bring the non-functioning launcher onboard in a checked bag.

The items were confiscated and he was able to catch his flight to Orlando.

TSA says no realistic or replica weapons of a military nature are allowed onto airplanes.

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This story has been corrected to show the group is called Transportation Security Administration, not Transportation and Security Administration.