NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – A New Jersey man busted with a belt buckle gun at Newark Airport claimed he forgot he had the firearm on him, the TSA said Sunday.
The Ridgefield Park man was passing through security at Terminal C on Friday when officers spotted the gun in his carryon bag, according to the TSA.
Authorities said the gun was packed inside two zippered cases within a backpack and "initially appeared to be a large belt buckle with a replica gun on it."
"Upon closer inspection it turned out to be an actual real firearm that could pop out of its decorative metallic oval frame," the TSA said.
Days earlier on June 3, a Pennsylvania man also told airport officials that he forgot he was carrying a handgun in his carryon bag at Terminal A after he was caught with the weapon, according to the TSA.
The gun the Pennsylvania man allegedly had on him.TSA
In both cases, Port Authority Police were alerted and the weapons were confiscated. The men were arrested on weapons charges.
"Claiming to forget that you have a gun with you is inexcusable," said Thomas Carter, TSA's federal security director for New Jersey, in a statement.
"If you own a gun you need to know where it is at all times. Each of these individuals now faces a stiff federal financial penalty that could cost them thousands of dollars," Carter said.
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.
