Fine for Edinburgh Airport gun passenger
18.11.09
An American security guard who was caught with a gun and a flick knife after his luggage was x-rayed at Edinburgh Airport has been fined £1000. Jeffrey Baumgardner, who now lives in Markinch in Fife, had been returning to Pennsylvania after failing to find security work in Scotland. However, as his bags were being checked in, security staff spotted the outline of a gas-fired pistol. They then found a flick knife in his other suitcase.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that Mr Gardner had mentioned the gun to staff at the check-in desk, but had failed to declare them correctly to security staff. On Tuesday, the 38-year-old pleaded guilty to failing to declare the gun and knife and being in possession of an offensive weapon on September 16 last year.
When one of his suitcases was overweight, he was asked if there were any items he could take out and put in his hand luggage. At this point that Mr Baumgardner indicated there was a gun in the bag. He was told he would not be allowed to carry that in the hand luggage and was asked to pay the excess charge. However, the check-in staff failed to notify security there was a weapon in the bag and the x-ray then showed up the pistol.
Mr Baumgardner told police his mother had sent him his ‘security regalia’ while he was looking for similar work in Scotland, although he would not be able to use it. He was taking it back to the US. The Fiscal said the accused was licenced to have such items in Pennsylvania and that there was no bar against him transporting them provided they were declared to airline security in advance. The pistol was in a locked metal box and there was no gas canister.
Mr Baumgardner is returning to live in America and his wife is going with him. He was fined £1000, but allowed to keep the weapons and make the proper arrangements for their transport.
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