The story behind the bomb scare package that prompted Ann Arbor street closures
The folks at Automobile Magazine had a birds-eye view of the bomb scare in downtown Ann Arbor on Friday afternoon.
As it turns out, they also had the inside scoop on the "suspicious package" that prompted police to close streets near the federal building on East Liberty at South Fourth Avenue. The package was spotted, coincidentally, shortly after a man phoned in a bomb threat to the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, causing police to take extra precautions.
In a blog post, Evan McCausland says the company received the package containing promotional materials for the new movie "Thor" earlier this week from Acura's ad agency. It included "a large black box billed as an agent test kit for ... the government agency charged with investigating Thor’s arrival on earth."
McCausland wrote: "We found the execution odd, what with the fake toggle switches, vial of blue fluid, and one test that referenced detonation, but chuckled, and sent it into our recycle bin. It, along with other recyclables, were collected and placed at the corner of Fourth and William, where they sat for two days before our collection company picked them up.
We’d forgotten about the box until this afternoon, when we noticed growing commotion from down below."
Read the full article: Press Kit or Explosive Device? Acura Promo Shakes Up Ann Arbor
Comments
snapshot
Sun, May 15, 2011 : 2:10 p.m.
I'm not sure what how I feel about this incident. I'm thinking a 'suspicious" package could be found every garbage or recycle container in the city if one were to look close enough in a fearful manner. I'm also thinking that there might have been a slight over reaction on the part of authorities, instead of first "investigating and questioning" the users of the recycle bin to identify the suspicious content. Just how "safe" can we afford, or expect to be? I'm hoping this incident is used as a learning tool to improve and streamline the response process so authorities can operate more efficiently and not shut down a city for a box with a toggle switch in a recycle bin. Why put a toggle switch on a "remote" bomb in the first place?
A2comments
Sun, May 15, 2011 : 11:53 a.m.
The folks at the magazine are at fault, considering how the pkg looked. Aren't you supposed to breakdown items to recycled? Shouldn't the item be in a recycling bin? And why was it out for days? The PE agency did nothing wrong, it's all on the magazine.
Random Man
Sat, May 14, 2011 : 10:50 p.m.
All jest aside, thank you to our men and women in blue. A tough decision was made to error on the side of caution for the public good. Thank you for being over cautious rather, than not being cautious enough.
Random Man
Sat, May 14, 2011 : 10:48 p.m.
Has Asgard made a press statement yet?
genericreg
Sat, May 14, 2011 : 5:23 p.m.
put trash out more than 24 hours before violate community standards
Mr. Tibbs
Sat, May 14, 2011 : 4 p.m.
sounds to me like hollywood is playing on our fears....again.... oh how I wish that end of the continent would just fall off.