Shoe Warmer Causes Airport Scare

A man arriving at San Francisco International Airport from Shanghai was detained this morning when batteries and wires were spotted in his shoes.

Airport officials say the shoes were apparently designed to heat up and keep the wearer´s feet warm.

Spokesman Ron Wilson says the wires and batteries showed up around 9 a.m. in the man´s carry-on luggage as he was going through gate 75 in the United terminal to transfer to a flight to New York.

The man and two friends were questioned. The man, who speaks little English, could not explain how the shoes worked or how to disconnect the batteries. Police took the shoes to an isolated area and examined them.

Wilson says they were destroyed – although they did not appear to pose any threat.

Airport police Sergeant Larry Ratti says a bomb squad checked out the “shoe warmer” inserts. He says no explosives were found and the airport is back to normal.