Car thief discovers bomb

[CaptainChewbacca]

Link

A bomb-laden van found on a Brooklyn street by a car thief was wired to detonate by remote control, and had likely been sitting there for more than five months, sources said yesterday.

Investigators believe the homemade explosives found Thursday night in the Ford Econoline belonged to Yung Tang, 39, a Chinese national. He has been behind bars since he was caught Jan. 29 in Wallingford, Conn., with nearly identical bombs in his Mazda MPV minivan.

"Based on the manner in which the materials inside the van were constructed, it's possibly linked to an individual in custody in Connecticut," said one source.

Also found in the MPV were two silencers, four hollow-point bullets and two radio-controlled detonators.

Days after that arrest, the NYPD searched his Brooklyn house and found yet anther van - a Ford Explorer - full of similar explosive devices.

In May, Brooklyn prosecutors charged Tang with attempted murder for allegedly planting a bomb near the car of a commercial tenant he was trying to evict.

The victim lost his foot in the 2002 blast.

Sources said the homemade bombs inside the Econoline - made of Styrofoam cups, 10-ounce water bottles, cans of WD-40 and five-gallon jugs filled with gasoline - were rigged to go off via a remote car-door opener.

A thief who broke into the vehicle as it was parked on 53rd Street near Second Avenue saw the explosives, then drove the van from the mostly residential block to a remote location near the waterfront.

The thief, who has an arrest record, then phoned a cop he knew from a previous run-in with the law.

The 53rd Street location is six blocks from the home of Tang's estranged wife, whom he has threatened to kill, according to federal prosecutors.

Neighbors of Tang's wife said she had sold the house last week.

"I'm scared," said one resident. "I'm scared he's going to come back."

In papers filed in the Connecticut case, prosecutors said Tang's wife has complained of physical abuse and threats - including one to hurl her out the window of a cruise ship while they were on vacation.

Tang's lawyer, George Farkas, denied that there was a connection between his client and the van.

"My guy has been in jail," said Farkas. "What that means, I don't know. It makes an interesting news story, but I think he has the alibi of alibis."

The car thief was not expected to be charged.

First off, its really awesome that the car thief did the right thing. Secondly, what the fuck is this Chinese guy's problem that he's making MULTIPLE car bombs?

[Isolder74]

Looks like the police picked him up before he could pull the switch setting it off. Makes you wonder what would happen if someone was moving his stuff out and pushed it without knowing what it was.

[Rahvin]

The car thief was clearly a Homeland Security agent, and this is undeniable proof that Bush's tactics in the War on Terror are working!

...or, you know, proof that all of the freedoms we've had taken away and the "new strategies" the government has taken up still don't prevent some guy from filling a van with bombs, and that terrorism is best combated by police action rather than domestic spying and military force, like everyone knew before Sept. 11 2001.

Oh, wait - he wasn't a Muslim, so obviously he wasnt a terrorist, right? Just like McVeigh?

[LadyTevar]

Let's give the car thief some kudos. How many of us would get into a car, knowing it's full of explosives, and DRIVE it however many blocks it took to get it away from the houses to the waterfront.

No wonder they're not going to charge him. I doubt the average beat-cop would have the balls to drive the van like that.

[Sea Skimmer]

Let's give the car thief some kudos. How many of us would get into a car, knowing it's full of explosives, and DRIVE it however many blocks it took to get it away from the houses to the waterfront.

I wouldn’t, because its an absurdly risky and stupid thing to do that could have easily triggered the bomb. I mean that’s JUST what you want with a bomb in a vehicle which uses its own frame as a conductor…. electricity from the now running engine flowing through it. I’d give the guy the benefit of the doubt, he probably new the vehicle hadn’t moved in months, thus his reason for trying to steal it after all, but its still just dumb.

[Wyrm]

A bomb-laden van found on a Brooklyn street by a car thief was wired to detonate by remote control, and had likely been sitting there for more than five months, sources said yesterday.

...

"My guy has been in jail," said Farkas. "What that means, I don't know. It makes an interesting news story, but I think he has the alibi of alibis."

What alibi? The explode-a-car has been sitting in the same spot for five months. Who leaves a remote-controlled car bomb to just SIT for five months? One who's already in the klink and can't work the detonation switch, maybe?

If anything, it makes your client more likely to be the bomber, Mr. Farkas.

[Stark]

First off, its really awesome that the car thief did the right thing. Secondly, what the fuck is this Chinese guy's problem that he's making MULTIPLE car bombs?

His 'problem' was probably 'being organised' or 'having a backup'. Damn organisation!

[Sidewinder]

Yung Tang is probably the kind of person who thinks violence is the solution to all of his problems, as demonstrated by his using a bomb to evict a tenant. What surprised me is how old the suspect is; you usually see such behavior in angry teenagers and young men. I wonder what experiences Tang had to make him think that way. Abusive parents?

[Kanastrous]

I doubt the average beat-cop would have the balls to drive the van like that.

The specific average beat cops that I know, would.

YMMV.

[Molyneux]

Let's give the car thief some kudos. How many of us would get into a car, knowing it's full of explosives, and DRIVE it however many blocks it took to get it away from the houses to the waterfront.

No wonder they're not going to charge him. I doubt the average beat-cop would have the balls to drive the van like that.

Hmm. Whoever keeps that image - mayhap this would be deserving of a BAMF-of-the-week award? I know damn well I'd be freaking out if I was put in the same situation as that would-be thief.

Calling an old 'friend' who'd arrested you before just makes it even more ballsy.

[CaptainChewbacca]

Hmm. Whoever keeps that image - mayhap this would be deserving of a BAMF-of-the-week award? I know damn well I'd be freaking out if I was put in the same situation as that would-be thief.

Calling an old 'friend' who'd arrested you before just makes it even more ballsy.

You're right, I'd forgotten to include it in the OP;



Fella clangs when he walks.