April 01, 2004

Who Blowed Up Da GameBoy?

(I swear this isn't an April Fools joke.) The Fort Wayne PD's bomb squad destroyed a suspicious metal case left in an airport restroom Tuesday; it was on the news and in the paper's print edition, but the only thing I could find on Google News at press time was this brief reference from an Indianapolis TV station. The story:

Airport evacuated after case found

Electronic gaming unit left in restroom

By Masaki Harada
The Journal Gazette
A suspicious metal case left in a restroom at Fort Wayne International Airport prompted the evacuation Tuesday of passengers in two airplanes and the airport's boarding area.

The case, about 12-by-12 inches, turned out to contain what investigators suspect was a handheld gaming unit, airport officials and Fort Wayne police said.

Airport security staff members were told there was a metal case in a restroom in the boarding area. An X-ray showed the case had numerous electric wires inside, airport spokeswoman Sandra Lux said. The case was locked and had no identification, she said.

. . .

The bomb squad deterimed the device inside the case was an electronic gaming machine, police spokesman Mike Joyner said.

Airport officials suspect the case was left in the restroom by someone who had exited a plane that landed at the airport, Lux said. Airport security did not recall finding such a case when searching passengers entering the boarding area, she said.

Police detonated the case without opening it as a precaution, Lux said.

--Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, April 1, 2004, p. A-1
Somewhere in the Fort Wayne area, some poor kid is saying "Dad, I can't find my GameBoy. I remember having it when I got off the plane..."

Posted by Chris at April 1, 2004 11:55 AM

Category: Local Stuff
Comments

"Police detonated the case without opening it..."
Which had to make identifying the remains that much more difficult. After that, any electronics pretty much looks like potential bomb components, I would think.

The next question has to be: Will the remains be kept at the "Lost & Found" for someone to claim?

-Jim

Posted by: Jim Tetrick at April 1, 2004 01:08 PM

Heh. I'd probably just write it off and go get another GameBoy.

Posted by: Chris at April 3, 2004 08:37 PM