Kismat Ali was just trying to do something nice by delivering the custom vest his brother had ordered from the shopping district of Karol Bagh. He didn’t really think anything of it as he took the vest through security in his carry-on bag, but officials at Indira Ghandi International Airport were concerned. Why were there motors and batteries on a vest? What was its purpose?
“The vest had created a scare as it looked like an improvised explosive device. However, we verified the vest, tested it and also checked the location from where it was bought,” said Sanjay Bhatia, DCP. Still, the fact that Ali couldn’t explain what all the gizmos did was enough cause for alarm that the police were called in.
Eventually, authorities were able to confirm that the vest wasn’t a tool of terrorism, just a magician’s assistant – the garment was festooned with electromagnets to help make objects appear or disappear as needed. Ali’s brother, who’d ordered the vest, is a magician in Assam.
If you’ve ever had a similar run-in with airport security over something weird (but harmless) in your luggage, share it in the comments! And if you ask your brother to pick something up for you, let him in on the secret before he heads to the airport.
Looking to learn a new trick or two on the cheap? Vanishing Inc. has you covered with a surprise flash sale. Pick up books, DVDs, accessories, decks of cards and more to fill out your bag of tricks at hefty discounts—but you’ll have to act fast, because the sale will only last for a limited time.
Some recommended products include Sentio, a gimmick that allows you to mark cards right under a subject’s nose—normally $25, pick it up today for only $10! Or snag the Phoneomenon DVD—retail price $29.95, on sale for $10—which teaches you how to make any prediction appear on a stranger’s smartphone, a trick featured on David Blaine’s Drowned Alive special.
There are all kinds of cool things on sale, from instructional books to back issues of Magic Magazine and Reel Magic Quarterly, and so much more. There’s no information on when the sale ends, so you’ll have to get in there and grab what you can before these prices disappear.
If you want to add a little flair to disappearing coin tricks (or anything involving your hands), you should pick up Magma. It’s a concealable LED light with a rechargeable battery that makes your closed fist appear as if it’s glowing with red-hot fire. Flame on!
- Category: Gimmick
- Price: $60
- Format: Physical