News

Actions

80-year-old woman shocked to learn that a sword was hidden in her cane during airport search

Posted
and last updated

An 80-year-old woman was shocked to learn that a cane she had been using for years was actually concealing a deadly weapon.

The Myrtle Beach Sun News reports that the woman was stopped by TSA agents while she was trying to board a plane at Myrtle Beach International Airport in South Carolina. When her cane was X-rayed, agents discovered that a long, thin saber was hidden inside.

TSA regional spokesman Mark Howell told the Sun News the woman had received the cane as a gift from her son and had no idea there was a sword hidden inside.

According to Howell, the old cane in the sword trick is a fairly common mistake made by travelers.

“It happens a lot, actually,” Howell said of the secret swords discovered by TSA screeners. “People pick them up at a thrift store and the sword isn’t found until we X-ray it.”

It’s not clear whether the woman faced any penalties for her mistake.

Alex Hider is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @alexhider.

,

Weather

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

Sunday

07/06/2025

Sunny

98° / 70°

0%

Monday

07/07/2025

Sunny

101° / 68°

0%

Tuesday

07/08/2025

Sunny

100° / 68°

0%

Wednesday

07/09/2025

Sunny

98° / 70°

0%

Thursday

07/10/2025

Sunny

101° / 73°

0%

Friday

07/11/2025

Sunny

106° / 75°

0%

Saturday

07/12/2025

Sunny

105° / 75°

0%

Sunday

07/13/2025

Sunny

104° / 76°

0%