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Thursday, September 03, 2009

Tampa Bay Rays employee planted fake bomb at Tropicana Field

Whoa…maybe he was boning up for a druggin’ game of no-look Stratego.

A Tampa Bay Rays employee was arrested before Wednesday’s game with the Boston Red Sox and accused of planting what appeared to be a fake bomb at Tropicana Field, police said.

William L. Jordan, 38, was arrested on a charge of planting a hoax device. He is a mechanic with the team and built and hid the device as part of a “practical joke,” the St. Petersburg Police Department said.

“His actions were in very poor taste and do not reflect the values of the organization,” Rays vice president Rick Vaughn wrote in an e-mail.

The device was found in a cabinet near Gate 2 by lawn maintenance workers about 2:10 p.m., police said. That area is closed to the public.

The device was a box that was taped to a shelf, had wires sticking out and emitted a “beeping” sound. It was built to look like an explosive device, police said.

Officers were summoned, police said, and Jordan quickly came forward to explain that the device was a hoax.

Repoz Posted: September 03, 2009 at 04:51 PM | 43 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
Related News: General, Special Topics, Boston, Tampa Bay

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1. Dewey, Steven Wright Wannabe and Soupuss Posted: September 03, 2009 at 05:03 PM (#3313419)

“His actions were in very poor taste and do not reflect the values of the organization,” Rays vice president Rick Vaughn wrote in an e-mail.

"They do, however, reflect the values of the California Penal League," he continued.

2. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: September 03, 2009 at 05:07 PM (#3313426)

The Rays are anti-bomb. I'm glad that's settled. What is their position on the molesting of Weimeraner puppies?

3. Crispix Attacks Posted: September 03, 2009 at 05:07 PM (#3313427)

He must have been put in charge of Fitted Hat Day.

4. RB in NYC (Now with New Running Goal!) Posted: September 03, 2009 at 05:09 PM (#3313429)

Not a fan of the Kazmir deal, huh?

5. Steve Phillips' Hot Cougar (DrStankus) Posted: September 03, 2009 at 05:33 PM (#3313461)

Well, a lot of people are of the opinion that it should be blown up.

6. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: September 03, 2009 at 05:38 PM (#3313469)

Well, a lot of people are of the opinion that it should be blown up.

Yeah. I really liked that sailboat stadium design they had. <sigh>

7. cardsfanboy

Posted: September 03, 2009 at 05:41 PM (#3313477)

Yeah. I really liked that sailboat stadium design they had. <sigh>

are you being sarcastic or serious?

I (serious) did like that sailboat design, wished it would have happened.

8. James Bailey Posted: September 03, 2009 at 05:43 PM (#3313482)

Sounds like there might be a job opening with the Rays if anyone wants a career as a baseball mechanic. It's a blast.

9. TVerik, AKA Snoopy Snoopy Poop Dog Posted: September 03, 2009 at 05:46 PM (#3313485)

Someone at my workplace got canned due to putting a fake bomb in the building about eight years ago. She got a headset box and wrote "this is a bomb" in Sharpie on the outside.

10. RB in NYC (Now with New Running Goal!) Posted: September 03, 2009 at 05:47 PM (#3313491)

Someone at my workplace got canned due to putting a fake bomb in the building about eight years ago. She got a headset box and wrote "this is a bomb" in Sharpie on the outside.

What prompts people to do things like that? It's so profoundly stupid.

11. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: September 03, 2009 at 05:49 PM (#3313494)

I (serious) did like that sailboat design, wished it would have happened.

I really did. If they'd built it, I think it might have been the best baseball stadium in the world.

12. puck Posted: September 03, 2009 at 05:49 PM (#3313495)

Maybe the headset didn't work and she was exchanging it for a new one?

I wonder how many DVD cases Roger Ebert has on his desk that have that label.

13. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: September 03, 2009 at 05:50 PM (#3313498)

What prompts people to do things like that? It's so profoundly stupid.

After 9-11, we had to evacuate my building 5 times because of bomb threats. What can you do? People are diseased.

14. RJ in TO Posted: September 03, 2009 at 05:52 PM (#3313503)

Someone at my workplace got canned due to putting a fake bomb in the building about eight years ago. She got a headset box and wrote "this is a bomb" in Sharpie on the outside.

What prompts people to do things like that? It's so profoundly stupid.

In case you haven't noticed, there are a lot of stupid people out there.

15. TVerik, AKA Snoopy Snoopy Poop Dog Posted: September 03, 2009 at 05:53 PM (#3313507)

I never really got it. It was clearly a joke about how often things are left in that particular control room over weeks and months without anyone paying attention, and perhaps she wanted to see just how out-of-place a thing she could get away with leaving behind.

She came forward and admitted to it; I frankly thought she shouldn't do so. It's honorable for sure, but didn't save her job.

16. David Nieporent (now, with children) Posted: September 03, 2009 at 05:58 PM (#3313513)

In case you haven't noticed, there are a lot of stupid people out there.

17. RJ in TO Posted: September 03, 2009 at 05:59 PM (#3313516)

She came forward and admitted to it; I frankly thought she shouldn't do so. It's honorable for sure, but didn't save her job.

So she did a stupid thing, and then compounded her trouble by doing an even more stupid (but honorable) thing.

The dumbest thing I've seen in a workplace environment was the person who left a $20 bill in a color photocopier. I'm just dissappointed that they weren't stupid enough to come to claim it, after the email was sent around mentioning where it was found.

18. phredbird

Posted: September 03, 2009 at 05:59 PM (#3313517)

looks like i've got something to mention at our next company meeting.

19. cardsfanboy

Posted: September 03, 2009 at 06:12 PM (#3313546)

I really did. If they'd built it, I think it might have been the best baseball stadium in the world.

agreed, just was wondering where my tastes differed from others.

20. Pat Rapper's Delight Posted: September 03, 2009 at 06:13 PM (#3313548)

Someone at my workplace got canned due to putting a fake bomb in the building about eight years ago. She got a headset box and wrote "this is a bomb" in Sharpie on the outside.

What prompts people to do things like that? It's so profoundly stupid.

Perhaps she really really liked the headset but meant to write "this is the bomb."

21. RB in NYC (Now with New Running Goal!) Posted: September 03, 2009 at 06:20 PM (#3313560)

The dumbest thing I've seen in a workplace environment was the person who left a $20 bill in a color photocopier. I'm just dissappointed that they weren't stupid enough to come to claim it, after the email was sent around mentioning where it was found.

Are you sure that wasn't a joke?

22. Ron Johnson Posted: September 03, 2009 at 06:24 PM (#3313568)

What prompts people to do things like that?

Boredom and stupidity. Best I've ever heard. Guy working security. One of the few armed posts around here. For whatever reason he thought it would be a good idea to spin his gun around his finger.

23. RJ in TO Posted: September 03, 2009 at 06:27 PM (#3313574)

Are you sure that wasn't a joke?

Yep. I knew the guy who found the $20, and talked with him as he was on his way to HR. Now if you're saying that someone may have left it there as a joke, that's possible, but even more stupid, since a company that draws a significant percentage of their revenue from the development and sale of photocopiers tend to not have a sense of humour about that sort of thing.

24. SoSH U at work Posted: September 03, 2009 at 06:28 PM (#3313576)

agreed, just was wondering where my tastes differed from others.

I'm with you both. I really wanted to see that stadium built. I thought the design was amazing.

25. puck Posted: September 03, 2009 at 06:32 PM (#3313583)

It was clearly a joke about how often things are left in that particular control room over weeks and months without anyone paying attention, and perhaps she wanted to see just how out-of-place a thing she could get away with leaving behind.

Maybe she should have labelled it "Pr0n."

26. RJ in TO Posted: September 03, 2009 at 06:36 PM (#3313591)

Are you kidding? It'd take less than a minute for any guy in the area to notice a box labelled "Pr0n."

27. RB in NYC (Now with New Running Goal!) Posted: September 03, 2009 at 06:41 PM (#3313605)

Now if you're saying that someone may have left it there as a joke, that's possible, but even more stupid, since a company that draws a significant percentage of their revenue from the development and sale of photocopiers tend to not have a sense of humour about that sort of thing.

That's more what I meant, although it appears both solutions are equally baffling in their dumbness.

28. RJ in TO Posted: September 03, 2009 at 06:48 PM (#3313619)

29. Traderdave

Posted: September 03, 2009 at 06:50 PM (#3313621)

I lucked out of a Trig final in HS when somebody called in a bomb threat on exam day.

(I still managed to perform miserably on the makeup date)

30. Drew (Primakov, Gungho Iguanas) Posted: September 03, 2009 at 07:15 PM (#3313676)

For some reason, the fact that Rays give out those obnoxious earsplitting cowbells for every game makes it seem more likely that a Rays employee would do something like this.

That and the franchise-long tendency to repeatedly throw at certain players.

31. MNB Posted: September 03, 2009 at 07:16 PM (#3313677)

Sounds like there might be a job opening with the Rays if anyone wants a career as a baseball mechanic. It's a blast.

I didn't know that baseballs had that many moving parts or required maintenance...

32. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: September 03, 2009 at 07:26 PM (#3313697)

They really are. Either we're talking about someone stupid enough to try and create counterfeit money using a photocopier, and to forget the original, or we're talking about someone stupid enough to pay $20 for a joke that would cost them their job.

It'd be even funnier if it was a black and white copier. Also, in that case, I don't think they could fire you. It can't be illegal or against company policy to make black and white copies of money, can it?

33. RJ in TO Posted: September 03, 2009 at 07:39 PM (#3313722)

Also, in that case, I don't think they could fire you.

Are you sure about that? I'd imagine that terminal stupidity is grounds for termination at most companies.

34. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: September 03, 2009 at 07:50 PM (#3313740)

Are you sure about that? I'd imagine that terminal stupidity is grounds for termination at most companies.

You obviously haven't worked in any financial institutions recently. At my last job, it was a prerequisite for senior management. I've never seen such an inverse correlation between intelligence and rank/pay.

35. Ron Johnson Posted: September 03, 2009 at 07:54 PM (#3313746)

#32 Way back when you could fool some vending machines with black and white photocopies.

I remember reading about the worst counterfeiter in US history. Hand drawn one dollar bills. And it was investigated.

Sounds like an urban legend I know. Can't remember where I read it and can't confirm its true.

But it ought to be.

36. Latnam's first name is Bob Lemon's middle name. Posted: September 03, 2009 at 08:03 PM (#3313768)

Ok, unrelated story:
I work in an office building in Macon, GA. It is one of literally two "skyscrapers" in the city. There's an attached parking garage, and one day some people noticed that there was a suitcase in a garbage can in the parking garage. Well, at this point I should tell you that the FBI has offices in my building, and one of their employees was down there smoking, and saw it and thought it was suspicious. Long story short, the building was evacuated and they brought in a bomb robot to open it up. Turns out it was a suitcase.

The best part were the newspaper articles the next day writing about the discovery of a "suitcase-like device."

[Edit I would have to pay to get into the newspaper archive, but here's the snippet I found on the website:]

DOWNTOWN BB&T BUILDING EVACUATED

The BB&T building at the corner of Second and Walnut streets in downtown Macon was evacuated Friday morning, but a suspicious device found in the parking deck turned out to be an empty suitcase.
About 75 people were evacuated after the case was found in one of the trash bins on the fourth floor of the parking deck off Walnut Street, said District Chief Cliff Rushin of the Macon-Bibb County Fire Department.
The bomb squad of the Macon Police Department was on the scene...

Published on 2008-08-16, Page 1, Macon Telegraph, The (GA)

37. Maury Brown Posted: September 03, 2009 at 08:13 PM (#3313783)

I (serious) did like that sailboat design, wished it would have happened.

Thought it looked cool, but it's a good thing there's no stiff breezes on the water there in St. Pete. Come Sail Away.

38. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: September 03, 2009 at 11:07 PM (#3313971)

We had a bomb threat when I was in high school.

The only thing the cops ever found was a shoebox full of little strips of paper with the word "BANG" printed on them.

39. JGLB, Future King of a Future State Posted: September 03, 2009 at 11:12 PM (#3313976)

I just want a stadium that doesn't take me 2 hours to drive back from.

40. Jeff K. Posted: September 03, 2009 at 11:14 PM (#3313980)

Someone at my high school glued a locker shut with superglue, and then called in a bomb threat. He had somehow got hold of one of those voice-altering devices so that when he called his voice couldn't be recognized... but he called from his home phone.

Didn't work out so well for him, but we got several days off from school.

Several days? For an empty locker glued shut and a phone hoax? No wonder you distrust the efficacy of government.

Summer of 2007, after Va. Tech, someone kept calling in bomb threats to UTC, the building where all business classes go that aren't in the b-school itself, plus a big chunk of randomness from other majors. 48 classrooms each capable of holding 75-100 people at capacity, and I somehow lucked into some bastard whose exam schedule exactly mirrored mine for the class I was in at the same time he was calling in his threats. There were at least 5, I think 7 total, over 4 weeks. They finally caught the guy, well into the fall semester.

41. McCoy Posted: September 03, 2009 at 11:28 PM (#3313998)

We had three or so bomb threats when I was a kid. They finally ended when the school simply called the bluff and did nothing. I don't know if the school would have the cajones to do that nowadays but back then pretty much everybody viewed them as hoaxes and were simply going through the motions. I remember the first time it happened they had a code setup in which the principal would get on the PA system and inform the teachers that they needed to drop off their insurance forms at the office. Most of the teachers forgot that was the code for a bomb threat and did nothing.

Speaking of stupidity after the Brown's Chicken massacre a local yokel went into a Brown's Chicken and demanded prompter service or else he was going to do the same thing to them that happened at the other Brown's Chicken. Needless to say they called the cops and he had to explain himself to a bunch of cops pointing guns at him.

I still love the guy who after 9/11 got on board a plane with box cutters to prove a point to his wife.

42. Jeff K. Posted: September 04, 2009 at 12:15 AM (#3314080)

the cajones

Schools have lots of drawers, but it's weird to bring them up.

</pedantrijo>

43. Jeff K. Posted: September 04, 2009 at 12:21 AM (#3314085)

The only thing the cops ever found was a shoebox full of little strips of paper with the word "BANG" printed on them.

Thus wrapping up another day at Postmodern High.

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Tampa Bay Rays employee planted fake bomb at Tropicana Field

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