Such items are prohibited under the latest United Nations Security Council resolution passed after North Korea's nuclear test last month.

VOA: standard.2009.06.22

On a given week, May says, he or his ATA lieutenants interact with the departments of Commerce, State, Treasury and Homeland Security on items as broad as the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative to minutiae on the environmental aspects of de-icing fluid.

FORBES: The Airlines' Captain In Washington

He said it would improve screening efficiency and allow security to focus on items that pose more serious threats to aviation.

CNN: U.S. to keep restriction on small knives on planes for now

So, while politicians may suggest prosperity was the key to recent falling crime, others continue to put it down to improved home security or simply that items like electronic goods became so cheap they were no longer worth pinching.

BBC: What's the price of DVD players got to do with crime?