PA Man Caught With Turtle In Pants At NJ Airport Checkpoint: TSA

NEWARK, NJ — A Pennsylvania man was recently caught with a living turtle hidden in his pants at an airport security checkpoint in New Jersey, authorities announced Tuesday.

The unusual incident took place on Friday at Newark Liberty International Airport, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Here’s what happened, authorities said:

“A TSA officer administered a pat-down of the area of the man’s body where the alarm was triggered and in doing so, determined that there was something concealed in the area of the man’s groin. When asked if there was something hidden in his pants, the man reached down the front of his pants and pulled out a live turtle that was wrapped in a small blue towel.”

The turtle was about five inches in length, authorities said.

The passenger – a resident of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania – told airport officials that the animal was a red-eared slider turtle, a species that is not native to New Jersey, but which can be found anywhere in the state.

Port Authority police questioned the man, took possession of the turtle and indicated that they would contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and local animal control officials.

The man missed his flight and was escorted out of the checkpoint by police, authorities added.

Thomas Carter, the TSA’s federal security director for New Jersey, said the pat-down was done in a “very professional manner.”

“We have seen travelers try to conceal knives and other weapons on their person, in their shoes and in their luggage, however I believe this is the first time we have come across someone who was concealing a live animal down the front of his pants,” Carter said.

“As best as we could tell, the turtle was not harmed by the man’s actions,” Carter added.

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