Stolen Rental Truck Found - Police Have Driver In Custody

WDIV Detroit Channel 4 news ^ | 10/12/01

[mostlyundecided]

Stolen Rental Truck Found Police Have Driver In Custody Posted: 11:59 a.m. EDT October 12, 2001 Updated: 12:40 p.m. EDT October 12, 2001 DETROIT-- A stolen rental truck that police had been on the lookout for has been found and the driver has been arrested. Toledo police received a call about the Penske rental truck heading north on Interstate 75 Thursday night, which allegedly contained the makings of a bomb and an Arabic driver inside, Local 4 reported. The truck had reportedly been rented in Ohio in August, but was never returned. Officers from the 5th Precinct spotted the truck Friday morning in Detroit. Police said that the man driving the truck is a Detroit man who had changed his name to a Muslim name. Police said that only clothing and junk were found in the truck. The driver is being held on a stolen truck charge. He was expected to be questioned by the FBI Friday afternoon. Local 4's Mike Lewis is following the investigation. Stay tuned to ClickOnDetroit.com and Local First News at 5 p.m. for the latest developments. Copyright 2001 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved.

[mostlyundecided]

This just in...

[mostlyundecided]

Diversion? Why would someone go to all this trouble just for a prank? Could bomb contents have been dumped once he knew cops were looking for him? Hopefully just another nutcase.

[TheOtherOne]

The call said there was bomb

The story says: Police said that only clothing and junk were found in the truck.

[OWK]

Police said that only clothing and junk were found in the truck.

How do you square this with the title of your post?

[atafak]

Time to round up and deport these mohams back to their sand and rubble.

[mc5cents]

Police said that only clothing and junk were found in the truck.

So what's with "(with making of bomb inside)" in your title? Was there or not?

[mostlyundecided]

your right, my typo, can I change it?

[mostlyundecided]

The story was changing as I typed it.

[Slayer]

In case anyone's inerested, there have been a rash of rumors about rental trucks being stolen to deliver bombs. Here's a link: rental trucks.

So, it's entirely possible that there was never any bomb to begin with.

[mostlyundecided]

Things have been so weird around here, if you go to www.clickondetroit.com you will see yesterday someone dumped 1/2 gallon of mercury all over a Detroit high school, it was determined to come from outside the school as there was no mercury kept in the school.

[Revolting cat!]

Was there any cheese found in the truck?

[Cicero]

The source offers some confusing information. The suspect is described as an "Arabic man," but also as "a Detroit man who had changed his name to a Muslim name." The latter description suggests that he may be a Black Muslim? As is often the case, this early report is confused. Hopefully we will get some follow-up to this story.

Nice that someone stole a Penske van for a change, instead of the traditional yellow Ryder van.

[mostlyundecided]

In case anyone's inerested, there have been a rash of rumors about rental trucks being stolen to deliver bombs.

Do you think it is good, then, for police to check out these things like they did in this case, or to spend time doing other investigative work? If it is a rumor, I don't understand why the police got involved, it obviously was stolen at the very least or they wouldn't have stopped the guy. How often do these thefts occur - are there an unusual amount of thefts right now? I will check out your link.

[citizen]

.....which allegedly contained the makings of a bomb and an Arabic driver inside, Local 4 reported.

Your title seems fine to me.

[mostlyundecided]

I've got the local radio news on, I'll update if new info is released.

[Alberta's Child]

"a Detroit man who had changed his name to a Muslim name."

In other words, some black guy who became a Muslim while serving a five-year prison sentence for armed robbery.

[epluribus_2]

radio here WWJ says the truck was (at least at one time) full of fertilizer.

[ricer1]

full of fertilizer

Natural or manufactured?

[mostlyundecided]

radio here WWJ says the truck was (at least at one time) full of fertilizer. ...maybe my original title was better.

[TheLion]

Thanks for the link on the truck scare. I got the damn e-mail tonight and quickly forwarded it to everyone in my address book. Now I just sent your link to everyone.

[Republic]

Are the BlackPanther group Muslim? I think they are. I can remember some real vitriolic hatred coming out of the mouths of two of the head guys on Bill O 'Reilly and Hannity and Colmes. This militant group is scary-was on the move to help the riots ignite further just recently in Cincy, but the riots fizzled before the Black Panther elites could get there. Their hatred of white people makes me think of bin ladens intense dislike of our nation and its people. I really think the FBI should look into the head black panther organizaion. It might be JUST the organization the in-country terrorists need and may be using. All terrorists love hatred.

[mostlyundecided]

I was frustrated at the lack of follow-up on this story...I have been listening to the radio, and scouring local papers, checking out every news site in Michigan...that article is the only one I could find - like there is some kind of blackout. If they unloaded the fertilizer, could it now be in a car (as in car-bomb?)...my question is, wouldn't a car or truck full of fertilizer smell pretty bad? Is that something to be aware of - smelly vehicles? I mean the smell of fertilizer is something that would be noticed in a city with no farms. Right?

[Slayer]

If they haven't done a follow-up, then there's a good possibility that this was just a standard stolen vehicle case. The originally probably jsut overreacted and there was never any bomb in the first place.

[mostlyundecided]

Considering the fact that nothing around here has blown up in the last few days, I'd have to say you are right.