DANGER - bottle bombs - Public service warning

[druid]

As many of you might know, I work for the DOC/SRT and am in constant contact in the LE circles. This is primarily directed at US residents, however, I guess it could apply on an international level as well...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU3CX...layer_embedded

I got this in an email today, put it through Snopes. They, along with LE determined it to be a real and continuing threat. It's kind of useless to redact out the ingredients, due to the investigative nature of people but the quantities of ingredients are not present in this article:

http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/bottlebomb.asp

The Email I received:

Straight from Davidson County Sheriff�s office:

Kids are putting Drano, tin foil, and a little water in soda bottles and
Capping it up - leaving it on lawns. When you go to pick up the trash,
And the bottle is shaken just a little - in about 30 seconds or less it
Builds up a gas and explodes with enough force to remove some of your
Extremities. The liquid that comes out is boiling hot as well.

Don't pick up any plastic bottles that may be lying in your yards or in
The gutter, etc.

Pay attention to this.

1. A plastic bottle with a cap.
2. A little Drano.
3. A little water..
4. A small piece of foil.
5. Disturb it by moving it; and BOOM!!
No fingers left and other serious effects to your face, eyes, etc.

People are finding these "bombs" in mailboxes and in their yards, just
Waiting for you to pick it up intending to put it in the trash. But, you'll never make it!!! It takes about 30 seconds to blow after you move the thing.

--------------------

DO NOT TOUCH RANDOM BOTTLES PLACED ANYWHERE YOU DIDN'T PUT THEM YOURSELVES.

--------------------

It's really sad that kids are so bored they have to come up with this kind of crap. Guess baseball is out anymore...

[Dale Seago]

sigh. . .

Yep, formulation looks right. . .

[Whidbey78]

This is the first I've heard of this particular recipe, but yes, bottle bombs do exist. A couple of years ago someone put one on the walkway in front of my house. It was about half full. There was a piece of plastic tube inside the bottle that was plugged in the lower end with what looked like clay(play dough?). The tube had liquid in it and the upper open end of the tubing was about 1/2 inch above the level of the liquid in the bottle. I made stuff like that when I was a kid, but not for malicious purposes. I grabbed my rake and tipped it over and moved behind the porch. It blew up in about 10 seconds. When I got a whiff of it i knew it was a "bleach-bomb."

I don't recommend doing it the way I did, but usually the reaction of whatever is in there takes a few seconds, so there is time to get clear.

If you find one though, I'd call the police. The response might be a bit extreme in some people's eyes, but a Deputy Sheriff neighbor of mine informed me when I got one that it is a growing problem, and they would like to catch whoever is doing it. It's often hard to get prints from a bottle because of smudging, condensation, etc., but nearly impossible from one that has exploded.

Plus, if it's in a mailbox, it can become a federal investigation. Remember the mailbox bombs right after 9/11?

Thanks for the reminder! Sad that we have to watch out for such things. The worst we had when I was a kid was getting hit by a snowball when walking out of the house or someone drawing nasty pictures in the dust on my windshield.

[CDNSushi]

As many of you might know, I work for the DOC/SRT and am in constant contact in the LE circles. This is primarily directed at US residents, however, I guess it could apply on an international level as well...

The only acronym I understood out of all that is "US."

Anyway, regardless, thank you for being a good citizen and putting the word out on this. I suppose it could happen to anyone anywhere bored teenagers are to be found...

[BoldHighlander]

The only acronym I understood out of all that is "US."

LE (or in some circles LEO) = Law Enforcement.

DOC = Department of Corrections. I'll let Druid speak to SRT, because I'm really not 100% on that one.

Edit: SRT = Special Response Team !!!!

[CDNSushi]

LE (or in some circles LEO) = Law Enforcement.

DOC = Department of Corrections. I'll let Druid speak to SRT, because I'm really not 100% on that one.

Edit: SRT = Special Response Team !!!!

Thanks, mate! Yer aces! Now I understand... English-English translation. lol.

[BoldHighlander]

Thanks, mate! Yer aces! Now I understand... English-English translation. lol.

:mrgreen:

You know, the SRT should've come to me sooner....its been one of those days, full of doh! moments

[Downunder Kilt]

:mrgreen:

You know, the SRT should've come to me sooner....its been one of those days, full of doh! moments

It's the flu Terry, have a scotch and off to bed with you.

[BoldHighlander]

It's the flu Terry, have a scotch and off to bed with you.

Sounds good Mike!

Cheers!

[druid]

Yes...

DOC = Department of Coercion....I mean......Corrections

and SRT = Special Response team.