Teen charged after making brilliant decision to take dynamite-shaped alarm clock to airport
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It doesn't matter if you forgot your cappuccino and your Kindle on the roof of your car when you pulled out of the garage, if you walked through the terminal with half a roll of toilet paper stuck to your heel or if you accidentally packed your cat in your suitcase: you're still not today's dumbest traveler.
That dubious honor goes to a 15-year-old boy who took an alarm clock shaped like seven bundled sticks of dynamite – complete with protruding wires and a countdown timer – to Toronto Pearson International Airport. The clock was packed into his carry-on bag and you can probably guess what happened next. The security screeners saw what looked like a legitimate explosive device, the screening area was evacuated for two hours and the police were called to the airport. Oh, and that kid missed his flight to Vancouver, too.
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Peel Police Department spokesperson Constable George Tudos told the Toronto Sun:
"The explosive disposal unit attended and they deemed the item was not real. However, it still caused a two-hour delay at the airport and he was charged with mischief [...] I guess it was bad judgement on behalf of that party to think it would be okay to travel to an international airport with that device."
Bad judgment is putting it lightly. Ignoring, for a second, the fact that exactly no one travels with their own personal alarm clock, this is even farther down the Stupid Scale than packing a novelty grenade in your carry-on. (Although, in polite Canadian fashion, the Sun described the incident as a "kerfuffle").
The alarm clock – or one very much like it – is sold by a Minneapolis company called Nootropic Design, which describes it as looking "seriously dangerous," with a "scary countdown sequence exactly like bombs in Hollywood movies." (ProTip, travelers: You probably want to avoid packing anything that is described as "dangerous" and "scary," unless you want to appear in your own international news story). In a disclaimer on its website, Nootropic writes:
"Dear Pranksters: Yeah, you. I know you are excited to scare your friends and coworkers with a phony bomb, but use your head. This kind of device can make people freak out and call the authorities. So don't bring this to school or to work, and certainly don't bring it anywhere near an airport! Seriously, don't get yourself into trouble."
That 15-year-old – who apparently ignored the fine print – has a court date in October.
Also, I think you have some toilet paper stuck to your heel.