Pizza dude blown up

[arcticpenguin]

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/08/30/bank.robbery.explosion.ap/index.html

ERIE, Pennsylvania (AP) -- A pizza delivery man told police he had been forced to rob a bank and asked authorities to help him minutes before a bomb strapped to his chest exploded and killed him.

On Saturday, federal agents and police in northwestern Pennsylvania were trying to solve the bizarre case of 46-year-old Brian Douglas Wells, who left to deliver a pizza to a mysterious address in a remote area about an hour before he turned up at the bank with a bomb strapped to his body.
...
Authorities obtained a search warrant and took evidence from Wells' home, but a state police spokesman refused to say what was taken. The evidence arrived at FBI laboratories in Washington, D.C., but Rudge could not say how long testing would take.

Quite bizarre. Was he in on it?

[Mr Manifesto]

Uh... that's really wierd. I'm going to let the police handle this one.

[American]

Of all the speculations, one that was mentioned is a copy-cat story based on a recent summer movie. That's one case where I might actually blame Hollywood for promoting degeneracy.

Otherwise, they said the sophistication of the device is typically only seen in places like Columbia where these cases are relatively common.

[Dancing David]

Man,
and I thought customers used to be rough on me when I forgot the free drinks. But that is one nasty tip.

Thirty minutes or we'll blow you to bits.

[Luke T.]

How exactly would you go about getting a pizza delivery guy to strap on a bomb and rob a bank against his will?

[subgenius]

Originally posted by Luke T.
How exactly would you go about getting a pizza delivery guy to strap on a bomb and rob a bank against his will?
Point a gun at his head strap on the bomb. The rest is easy.
No?
Not rocket surgery.

[arcticpenguin]

Originally posted by Luke T.
How exactly would you go about getting a pizza delivery guy to strap on a bomb and rob a bank against his will?
On the other hand, if he was in on it, he wouldn't use a real bomb with a real detonator, would he?

?

[arcticpenguin]

The plot thickens: pizza dude's co-worker found dead (http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-08-31-coworker_x.htm)

ERIE, Pa (AP) — A friend and co-worker of a pizza deliveryman who robbed a bank then died when a bomb strapped to his body exploded was found dead at his home Sunday.

Police said there was no obvious connection between the two deaths. Still, authorities sent a bomb squad to search the home in Lawrence Park Township as a precaution, Erie state police Cpl. Mark Zaleski said.

"There was nothing overtly obvious as to the cause of his death," Zaleski said, "but because there's a relationship between the two individuals, we are over there."

[peptoabysmal]

Call be a cynic but,

You're 46 years old and delivering pizza for a living, your future is so bright you've got to wear sunglasses.

You decide to strap a bomb on yourself and try to rob a bank. If you get away with it, cool, get a ticket to Rio and live the good life, if not, your family gets the life insurance money. A win-win situation.

[Mr Manifesto]

Seeing as how I'm for the sack, maybe I could get a job in Eire, PA. Sounds like the turnover for pizza deliverers is pretty high there.

[Skeptic]

Why do I get the feeling we're a). not getthing the whole story here, and b). have not heard the last of this?

[arcticpenguin]

Originally posted by Skeptic
Why do I get the feeling we're a). not getthing the whole story here, and b). have not heard the last of this?
Maybe because we're not getting the whole story and haven't heard the last of this.

[a_unique_person]

Thanks for this picture, CNN.

http://i.cnn.net/cnn/2003/US/Northeast/09/01/bank.explosion/story.pizza.bomb.jpg

While I don't mind hearing about the bizarre, do they have to show us the poor sod just before he blows up?

[UnrepentantSinner]

At least they have the decency to not have a nice shot of him wile he blows up.

[reprise]

I caught a report on this morning's news which said that a body was found at blown up guys home and the police didn't think the two incidents were connected (yeah, right). Does anyone have the details on this?

[Luke T.]

Originally posted by subgenius

Point a gun at his head strap on the bomb. The rest is easy.
No?
Not rocket surgery.

Easy?

I don't buy it.

[subgenius]

Originally posted by Luke T.


Easy?

I don't buy it.
Don't buy it: don't know what that means.
That it didn't happen in this case (I'm not saying it did), or that you don't become cooperative with someone pointing a gun at you?

Ever have a gun pointed at you?

[WildCat]

Originally posted by subgenius

Don't buy it: don't know what that means.
That it didn't happen in this case (I'm not saying it did), or that you don't become cooperative with someone pointing a gun at you?

Ever have a gun pointed at you?
It is kind of fishy. The man knew the bomb was on a timer, it's not like it was on a remote control. What would have stopped him from going to the police right away?
Then again, if he put it on himself, why the timer? Why not a button instead?
The whole thing is just strange, maybe a case of split personality or schizophrenia.

I'm sure it's just a matter of time before the video shows up on rotten.com. :(

[reprise]

I still want to know about other dead guy at blown up guy's house. Something about this whole situation just sounds "off" - but maybe that's because the whole scenario bears some resemblance to a recent CSI Miami episode in which someone was putting bombs on people in the hope of blowing up the bomb disposal guys who came to disarm them...

[a_unique_person]

Originally posted by reprise
I still want to know about other dead guy at blown up guy's house. Something about this whole situation just sounds "off" - but maybe that's because the whole scenario bears some resemblance to a recent CSI Miami episode in which someone was putting bombs on people in the hope of blowing up the bomb disposal guys who came to disarm them...

I think you got it wrong, the guy worked in the same place, but he was dead in his own house, not the bomb guy's house. At present the police are saying it is just a coincidence. We shall have to wait till they get CSI onto this I think.

[reprise]

Originally posted by a_unique_person


I think you got it wrong, the guy worked in the same place, but he was dead in his own house, not the bomb guy's house. At present the police are saying it is just a coincidence. We shall have to wait till they get CSI onto this I think.

Well what kind of a storyline is THAT?

[a_unique_person]

Originally posted by reprise


Well what kind of a storyline is THAT?

Gus will sort it out, within an hour.

[reprise]

I wonder why no psychics picked this up in real time and reported it to the police before pizza dude exploded. Surely at least one of them must have "seen" explosive dude arming the bomb and been able to give the police a hint about how to safely disarm it...

[Luke T.]

Originally posted by subgenius

Don't buy it: don't know what that means.
That it didn't happen in this case (I'm not saying it did), or that you don't become cooperative with someone pointing a gun at you?

Ever have a gun pointed at you?

Yes. I have had a gun pointed at me. More than once.

Well, WildCat has pretty much voiced my concerns.

On ABC News tonight, they played the audio of the scene with him and the police, including the explosion. They also showed the video, but when the explosion happened, they only showed the portion of the screen where you could see the police ducking.

Anyway, you could hear the guy telling the police that his captors had strapped it on him and then inserted a key and turned it to start the timer. He said something after that along the lines of, "I'm not kidding!"

Why did he not immediately go to the police? Exactly what incentive did he have to carry out their demands the second he was out of their control?

Hopefully, there are enough fragments to piece together the exact design of the bomb. Timer, self-actuating switch, whatever.

[subgenius]

I'm guessing that means you don't think it happened in this case as opposed to your original question.

[arcticpenguin]

I'm waiting for a cause of death report on the dead co-worker. I'm guessing he poisoned himself.

[hgc]

Originally posted by Luke T.

...

Why did he not immediately go to the police? Exactly what incentive did he have to carry out their demands the second he was out of their control?

...Maybe they stayed with him all the way to the bank, or even into the bank.

I find it very unlikely that he was in on it, unless it was a suicide plot. Why else would he have a live device? That's the a lot less likely than any scenario about not going to the police when he got a chance.

[scotth]

Originally posted by Luke T.

Why did he not immediately go to the police? Exactly what incentive did he have to carry out their demands the second he was out of their control

I suspect that they told the guy.

1) Now you have a live bomb strapped to you that will go off in x minutes.
2) If you rob the bank and return in x minutes, we will remove the bomb and you will live.

[Hexxenhammer]

CNN showed a picture of the bomb (I don't know if it was a recreation or what). It was a metal collar that was locked around his neck with a readout on the front. No way to get it off. Like something out of a movie.

[Andonyx]

Originally posted by Luke T.




Why did he not immediately go to the police? Exactly what incentive did he have to carry out their demands the second he was out of their control?



While I can agree with you from a logical perspective let us not forget that having a bomb strapped to your neck may or may not cause the following side-effects...

Panic
Paranoia
Stomach Cramps
Gastrointestinal Distress
Incontinence
Tears
Screaming
Sweaty Palms
Dry Mouth
Insomnia
Vomiting
Loss of vision
Hemmoraghing
Death*

*Instances of death with live bomb were 100000000000000% greater than placebo.

One of the things the bomb strapped to the neck does NOT promote, is clear, rational, level-headed thinking.

[Hexxenhammer]

Picture of the collar on CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/09/02/pizza.bomb/index.html)

[Bentspoon]

pizza?

Did it get delivered? Was it cold?

Bentspoon

[subgenius]

Originally posted by hgc
Maybe they stayed with him all the way to the bank, or even into the bank.

I find it very unlikely that he was in on it, unless it was a suicide plot. Why else would he have a live device? That's the a lot less likely than any scenario about not going to the police when he got a chance.

Man holding gun to own head: "Give me all your money or I'll blow my brains out."

(I used to tell this as a joke.)

[Mr Manifesto]

Originally posted by subgenius


Man holding gun to own head: "Give me all your money or I'll blow my brains out."

(I used to tell this as a joke.)

"You're new at this, aren't you?"

[subgenius]

Originally posted by Mr Manifesto


"You're new at this, aren't you?"

:roll:


By the way, "in on it" or not, not a good way to go, or spend your last moments alive.

[reprise]

Originally posted by Hexxenhammer
CNN showed a picture of the bomb (I don't know if it was a recreation or what). It was a metal collar that was locked around his neck with a readout on the front. No way to get it off. Like something out of a movie.

OK, now I'm definitely convinced that someone has been watching too much CSI Miami. The bombs planted on people in the episode I referred to above were "collar" bombs, although constructed somewhat differently to the one used in this case.

[nightwind]

To me it sounds more bizarre for the guy to have planted a bomb on himself, than someone else doing it.

I just cannot see the motive behind blowing yourself up, since most people could care less if a thief blows himself up.

However, I can see it being a motivation to inspire someone to do just about anything they are told.

It is an unusual coincidence about the buddy being found dead. I would like to hear what was up with that. Was he murdered, or a suicide?

This case should prove interesting. Hope they solve it. :confused:

[ImpyTimpy]

First of all we can rule out that the pizza guy was acting alone. Someone did place an order for a pizza and it sure as hell wasn't the pizza delivery driver himself. Second of all, we can assume he was not in on it (and if he was, wasn't given all the details) since a live device was used. This means whoever strapped the bomb to the guy's head is guilty of killing him.

Assuming the pizza delivery driver was innocent, I find the way it was handled pretty pathetic. The driver did warn the police the device will explode but help came too late. He had more chances of staying alive if he just returned the money to whoever strapped the bomb to his head.

[reprise]

Assuming the pizza delivery driver was innocent,I find the way it was handled pretty pathetic.

In what way do you think it was pathetically handled, ImpyTimpy? I'm curious because my brother was a bomb squad officer and the protocols under which they work IRL are somewhat different that the way things are portrayed on TV dramas.

[ImpyTimpy]

I thought it was pretty obvious. He died. Then again as you point out I am not aware of the intricacies of the bomb squad units so perhaps there was nothing they could've done. I just find it hard to believe that's all.

[reprise]

I'm not familiar with the particular place where this man died, but even major cities in Australia don't necessarily have 24/7 dedicated bomb squad teams. That - in fact - was the case in Perth when my brother was a bomb squad team member. Most of his time was spent as a normal member of the police force. They bomb squad team only came together as a unit when there was a bomb alert, or for training and planning purposes.

The absolute first priority of the officers at the scene of this particular incident would have been to make the scene as safe as possible by establishing a perimeter and getting everyone possible and everything which could possible detonate a bomb outside of that perimeter. Only once that was done should the bomb experts have attempted to identify the specific nature of the bomb and attempt to disarm it. A bomb secured to a person presents a special challenge because you cannot simply detonate it at a distance as you might do with a bomb in situ in a building, a car, or a train, or detonate it within a specially designed chamber to contain the blast.

I haven't read anything which indicates that there was sufficient time for the police to do anything much to stop the bomb from exploding after they became aware of its existence. I'm not suggesting that the situation wasn't mishandled in any way, just commenting that I haven't read anything yet which stands out as indicating that it was mishandled given the circumstance.

I'm waiting to read a detailed report about the way the bomb was constructed as this will give some indication of whether its primary target was the victim, those whose job it would have been to attempt disarming it, or anyone and everyone within the immediate vicinity of the blast.

[subgenius]

Bomb squad didn't make it there on time.
Bob only knows what they could have done anyway.
Two dead instead of one?


Gotta be a movie in here somewhere:

"Dog Collar Day Afternoon."


Forgive me.
May the poor SOB RIP.

[ImpyTimpy]

Good replies Sub and reprise. You're both right, bomb squad may not have had enough time to do anything, even if they got there on time. Also it is true, better have one person die, than two. Seems to me the pizza guy didn't have much time either so I suspect this was possibly a well planned murder.

[reprise]

Originally posted by ImpyTimpy
Good replies Sub and reprise. You're both right, bomb squad may not have had enough time to do anything, even if they got there on time. Also it is true, better have one person die, than two. Seems to me the pizza guy didn't have much time either so I suspect this was possibly a well planned murder.

From what I can gather, it was about an hour between the time pizza dude left to deliver the pizza and the time he turned up at the bank with the bomb attached. For some reason, pizza dude's captors gave him a note for the bank teller, but also a note for himself (presumably containing instructions, though why these weren't delivered vernally is a mystery). The media reports talk in terms of minutes elapsing between police hand-cuffing pizza dude and him informing them about the bomb and the bomb actually exploding. All things considered, it sounds like only fast thinking police work ensured that pizza guy exploded far enough away from other people that no-one else was injured.

[arcticpenguin]

I wonder if the detonator timer had a big red LED countdown display, like in the movies.

[Larspeart]

I think the bomb squad deserves equal praise and condemnation.

Yes, a bomb squad's 1st priority is to clear off the surronding area, get civilians out of the way, etc. Also, they want it clear in case a 'trigger/detonater' man is nearby. Most remote triggered bombs are triggered via short-range radio. Anything further then a couple hundred feet out of range. Think about your car-unlocker (for those that have it). how far away does it work? 20 yards? 50? times a bomb one by four, and that brings the number to 200 yards, TOPS. these usually do not have mile+ ranges on them.

Where they botched it is where they assumed it was just a guy trying to find a creative way to rob a bank, and figured it was a fake. The slow, prodding way they went about everything shows that to me.

To the Aussie: in most large american cities there is a bomb squad, or at the least, several units who are on-duty who act as bomb squad. Detroit (where I live, god help me) has both.

Also, all military bases have EOD teams on-call 24/7. If a base is nearby, the EOD will usually respond as well (since they are better at it anyway).


I believe. . .

1. The pizza guy was an innocent player.

2. The premise was a bank robbery using the pizza guy as the dummy.

3. We will see this again, in very short time.

4. Not only will the bomber who killed the pizza guy do this, but we will likely get some copy-catters using varients of this idea.

5. Someone watched phone booth too many times this summer.

[arcticpenguin]

Originally posted by Larspeart
I think the bomb squad deserves equal praise and condemnation.

Yes, a bomb squad's 1st priority is to clear off the surronding area, get civilians out of the way, etc. Also, they want it clear in case a 'trigger/detonater' man is nearby.
The bomb squad had not yet arrived. The regular police cleared the area as best they could and called for the bomb squad. Pizza dude blew up before the bomb squad arrived.

[SRW]

I don't know anything about the town that this happened in however we recently had a couple of bombs discovered in a near by town and the closest bomb squad was over 50 miles away.
The nasty part of this case was that one of the bombs was reported to police at midnight, they came by looked at it,apparently, over looking the wires sticking out, and left it at the front door of a business only to be re-discovered the next morning.

I used to deliver pizzas when I was younger and one of the things that always terrified me was people strapping bombs around my neck.

[Valley_girl]

From what I understand, the police pulled him over for robbing the bank only blocks from where the crime occurred. I wonder where he would have ended up if they hadn't? I wonder if the people/person responsible for strapping the bomb to him were waiting for him to bring them the money, and then they would have deactivated it? Seems like he didn't have much time, so if that was the plan he didn't have very far to go to meet them. Poor bastard.

[Luke T.]

I don't know why people are ragging on the bomb squad. They weren't even there yet.

They showed the collar the guy was locked into on the local news last night. It was a simple combination lock. I could have opened it in less than five minutes. I've opened that kind before without knowing the combination.

Suppose the pizza dude killed the other pizza dude during some stupid argument a few days earlier. He figures he'll rob a bank for some getaway money. "And if I blow myself up in the process, I still don't go to prison."

Who knows. It'll all come out.

If the pizza place received an order for a pizza, they will have a record on their computer. They would have to be very stupid to take an order that asked for the pizza to be delivered at the corner of 5th and Main, or whatever, though.

I used to work as a Pizza Hut delivery guy during my second divorce for some necessary cash. They required a phone number and address.

[Luke T.]

Pizza dude could have placed the order from the pizza restaurant bathroom on his cell phone.

[arcticpenguin]

Originally posted by Luke T.
Pizza dude could have placed the order from the pizza restaurant bathroom on his cell phone.
No, initial reports said when the weird address was given, Pizza Dude was given the phone to get directions. That means if he was in on it, he had to have an accomplice place the call.

[arcticpenguin]

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/09/03/pizza.bomb/index.html

(CNN) -- The pizza deliveryman who was killed by a bomb clamped around his neck after robbing a bank in Erie, Pennsylvania, had another "unique" weapon in his vehicle, the FBI's lead investigator said Wednesday.

Special Agent Ken McCabe would not provide details about the weapon, but said, "It was a little bit unique, and we may release that information also for the public to see what he was carrying," McCabe told CNN's "American Morning." "And maybe that may help with this investigation."
This is getting more and more strange.

[Hexxenhammer]

My guess is the other weapon was a homemade gun of some kind. A metal tube with a bullet in it or something.

[SRW]

Originally posted by arcticpenguin
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/09/03/pizza.bomb/index.html


This is getting more and more strange.

From the same article:
_________________________________________
Wells carried a note for bank employees during the robbery and another that included instructions for him, police said. Both notes are being examined for any fingerprints, handwriting, hair or fiber evidence they may yield, and McCabe said investigators had not eliminated the possibility that Wells wrote the notes himself.
________________________________________

I would think that the note to Wells with his instructions would be telling. The question is; if he was forced to do this how would the other party collect the money?

[reprise]

Has it been established yet whether or not the timer was the detonation device?

[RSLancastr]

Originally posted by reprise
(presumably containing instructions, though why these weren't delivered vernally is a mystery).Because it is summer! :D

[reprise]

Originally posted by RSLancastr
Because it is summer! :D

Just pretend that I didn't mistype that sentence. :)

[reprise]

I'm guessing that the bank staff activated the armed holdup button, thus alerting police to the robbery. I'm wondering whether bank staff made separate communication with the police informing them about the bomb (and if not, why not). The media reports suggest that the first the police knew of the bomb's existence was when pizza dude informed them of it when they cuffed him.

[SRW]

Originally posted by reprise
I'm guessing that the bank staff activated the armed holdup button, thus alerting police to the robbery. I'm wondering whether bank staff made separate communication with the police informing them about the bomb (and if not, why not). The media reports suggest that the first the police knew of the bomb's existence was when pizza dude informed them of it when they cuffed him.

It will be interesting to see what is on those notes. Even still the police may not have under stood or felt the best thing to do with a guy with a bomb is to isolate him.

[UnrepentantSinner]

First the guy in Houston with the elevator, now this guy in Ohio with the locking bomb torque... it hasn't been a good summer for necks in the U.S. I wonder why the media hasn't whipped us into a frenzy over it yet?

[reprise]

Originally posted by SRW
It will be interesting to see what is on those notes. Even still the police may not have under stood or felt the best thing to do with a guy with a bomb is to isolate him.

There's no question that isolating him was the correct thing to do - even had the police thought the bomb was a hoax. I'm just curious about some aspects of the timeline on this incident - who knew what and when. It seems fairly unlikely that when pizza dude exited the bank someone from the bank didn't call 911 saying that a guy with a bomb attached to him had just left the bank. I'm just wondering whether that information had made it to the police involved before they intercepted pizza dude. The media reports suggest not.

[Luke T.]

The written instructions for the pizza dude are the most curious thing. It sounds too contrived.

[reprise]

Originally posted by Luke T.
The written instructions for the pizza dude are the most curious thing. It sounds too contrived.

The whole thing is off-key. Hell, once they'd started the timer pizza dude could have just refused to do anything - what would his alleged kidnappers have done then? How could they be certain that he'd even be able to get out of the bank before the timer went off let alone deliver the money to them? The media reports have the bomb detonating only minutes after he was intercepted by police. If he'd stayed close to them he'd have blown them up too, if they'd shot him how was the bank going to get robbed? The whole thing only makes any sense at all if the robbery was only staged to bring the police within range of the bomb.

BTW, what's the Houston elevator incident to which people are referring?

[SRW]

Originally posted by reprise



BTW, what's the Houston elevator incident to which people are referring?
Elevator thread (http://www.randi.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25485&highlight=elevator)

[reprise]

Originally posted by SRW

Elevator thread (http://www.randi.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25485&highlight=elevator)

Thanks SRW.

[peptoabysmal]

I still say the guy did it himself, the only accomplice would have been to make the call for the pizza delivery. It's not impossible with today's technology for him to have pre-recorded the call and had his personal computer carry it out, or just make the call himself from a cell phone.

He was 46 years old, delivering pizza for a living. He could have felt that he had nothing to lose. He gets away with the robbery, fine, he dies trying, that's OK with him too. It could have been on purpose that the timer was set for an hour or less, so that the bomb squad would not have been able to get there on time.


The FBI again searched a remote area around a television transmitter site for possible clues Tuesday night, a law enforcement source told CNN. Wells had gone to the area to deliver a pizza -- his supervisor said -- and showed up at the bank an hour later with the bomb attached to him.


In my youth, I had a few delivery jobs. The first thing I would have done in this situation is call back to the office to have them call the customer and ask for better directions. If the customer doesn't answer, cool, we assume no one is home and don't have to drive all over B.F.E. looking for this address. I've gotten out of many remote deliveries that way.

Kind of like when the phone company always calls you when they come out, to see if you have any dogs. Oh? No answer. Cool, no one is home, I can go to another site, maybe get off early today (even though the trouble is most likely out on the line somewhere, not at the junction box).

[SRW]

Originally posted by peptoabysmal
I still say the guy did it himself, the only accomplice would have been to make the call for the pizza delivery. It's not impossible with today's technology for him to have pre-recorded the call and had his personal computer carry it out, or just make the call himself from a cell phone.

He was 46 years old, delivering pizza for a living. He could have felt that he had nothing to lose. He gets away with the robbery, fine, he dies trying, that's OK with him too. It could have been on purpose that the timer was set for an hour or less, so that the bomb squad would not have been able to get there on time.




I think he spoke to the person himself on the phone, when I used to deliver pizzas if I answered the delivery call myself and got directions I would not usually call back. The only motive I can see for him doing this himself would be that he wanted to blow up some cops. Like suicide by cop but with a twist.

I still do not see how he or anyone else would ever expect to spend the money.

[peptoabysmal]

Originally posted by SRW


I think he spoke to the person himself on the phone, when I used to deliver pizzas if I answered the delivery call myself and got directions I would not usually call back. The only motive I can see for him doing this himself would be that he wanted to blow up some cops. Like suicide by cop but with a twist.

I still do not see how he or anyone else would ever expect to spend the money.

It may not have even been the same person (whom the remote delivery was for) that he was speaking to on the phone. Sometimes, when something like this happens, people remember all sorts of incorrect details. "You know, now that I think about it..." The witnesses only heard one side of the conversation, the other end of the phone may have been silent, who knows?

I didn't say he was thinking rationally. :D I think suicide was just an added bonus. Just call your local neighborhood money laundry service and away you skirt off to hmmm... Taiwan, Venezuela, Arkansas... somewhere the US govt. can't touch you.

First thing I would check if I were the cops, was if he had recently taken a new life insurance policy or upgraded his current life insurance policy. Like, within the last year...

[arcticpenguin]

Originally posted by Hexxenhammer
My guess is the other weapon was a homemade gun of some kind. A metal tube with a bullet in it or something.
BINGO has been called!

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/09/04/pizza.bomb/index.html


ERIE, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- A cane-shaped device capable of firing like a gun was found in the possession of a Pennsylvania pizza deliveryman who was killed by a bomb clamped around his neck, a source confirmed to CNN Thursday.

[Hexxenhammer]

Originally posted by arcticpenguin

BINGO has been called!

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/09/04/pizza.bomb/index.html


Beat that Lucianarchy! That was better than "Ladybrook" any day. Yeah!

[SRW]

Originally posted by arcticpenguin

BINGO has been called!

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/09/04/pizza.bomb/index.html



It just gets more bizarre.

I don't think is all that unusial for a delivery man to carry a weapon, after I was robbed delevering pizzia I started carrying a gun. But never a cane shaped one.

[Hexxenhammer]

Good thing I don't claim to have superpowers or we could argue about it for a couple months.

[Hexxenhammer]

A few more details here. (http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/09/04/pizza.bomb.ap/index.html)

[reprise]

Originally posted by SRW


It just gets more bizarre.

I don't think is all that unusial for a delivery man to carry a weapon, after I was robbed delevering pizzia I started carrying a gun. But never a cane shaped one.

I'm having Morocco Mole flashbacks.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Wasn't it pretty predictable all along that the guy did it himself?

[Mr Manifesto]

Korac Timon, chief deputy coroner in Erie County, says the blast killed Wells, leaving a postcard-sized hole in his chest.

Yccch.

Wasn't it pretty predictable all along that the guy did it himself?
Hasn't been proven yet! Hasn't been prooooven yeeeeet!


(or, in the words of Shakespeare: It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings.)

[peptoabysmal]

Originally posted by The Central Scrutinizer
Wasn't it pretty predictable all along that the guy did it himself?

For people like you and me, with good detective instincts, it was.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Originally posted by Mr Manifesto

Hasn't been proven yet! Hasn't been prooooven yeeeeet!


(or, in the words of Shakespeare: It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings.)

She's warming up back stage.

[SRW]

They talk about the note but say:

_____________________________________
FBI agent Bill Crowley said officials decided releasing the information about the note and second weapon wasn't worth the time it would take.
_____________________________________



Kinda odd that the would say this.


Not worth releasing (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/breaking_news/6700222.htm)

[boooeee]

From abcnews:



Investigators originally were looking into three theories: that Wells was working alone when he robbed the bank, that he was a willing participant in a plot with other people or that he was forced to rob the bank — a "bomb hostage."

FBI agent Ken McCabe said Wednesday on ABCNEWS' Good Morning America that evidence has investigators leaning more toward the last two theories — that Wells was either in on the bank robbery plot with other people or that someone put the bomb on his neck and compelled him to rob the bank.

"We have moved a little bit further away from initially thinking that he was doing this by himself, where the facts and evidence are leading us into a direction that there may have been other people involved," McCabe said.


Judging from all I've heard, I'd be really surprised that this guy staged the whole thing himself. I'm personally leaning towards the theory that we was not in on it all. Completely bizarre.

[subgenius]

Originally posted by boooeee
From abcnews:







Judging from all I've heard, I'd be really surprised that this guy staged the whole thing himself. I'm personally leaning towards the theory that we was not in on it all. Completely bizarre.
Having a real bomb tends to support the last theory.
Otherwise its like the old joke above: "You're new at this aren't you."

And if he was in on it you'd think he would know how to disarm it.

We shall see.

[peptoabysmal]

Dateline just ran a piece on this tonight. Apparently, Mr. Wells carried the "cane gun" into the bank with him. The TV news photographer who filmed the scene said that Mr. Wells seemed "strangely calm".

Here's the web Dateline coverage:
Man denies knowing bank robber (http://www.msnbc.com/news/959687.asp#BODY)

[SRW]

The FBI is now looking for more suspects

2 men wanted (http://www.newsnet5.com/news/2464211/detail.html)

[SRW]

picture of cane gun (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,98355,00.html)

The FBI is now offering a $50,000 dollar reward, and have determined that Wells was a hostage.

[arcticpenguin]

Originally posted by SRW
picture of cane gun (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,98355,00.html)

The FBI is now offering a $50,000 dollar reward, and have determined that Wells was a hostage.

Investigators have said that they have not ruled out that Wells could have been a willing participant in the crime.
It sounds like they are keeping things open on that last point.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

It gets curiouser and curiouser...

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/11/collar.bomb.charges/index.html