Sydney police investigate possible bomb strapped around girl's neck

[News_Editor]

Sydney police investigate possible bomb strapped around girl's neck

2011-08-03 19:58:22 GMT+7 (ICT)

SYDNEY (BNO NEWS) -- Police in the Australian city of Sydney are investigating a possible explosive device which has been strapped around the neck of an 18-year-old girl, officials said on Wednesday.

A police spokesperson said officers were called to a multi-million dollar house in Sydney's exclusive suburb of Mosman at around 2.30 p.m. local time after receiving a 000 call from an 18-year-old girl. It is believed the teenager lives at the property with her parents.

According to Australian media reports, it is believed that a balaclava-clad men had entered the home when the girl was home alone and placed a device around her neck. A note is attached to the device, reports said, although it was not immediately known what is on it.

"While the very delicate operation continues at the house with the bomb squad officers, highly-skilled investigators have been working behind the scenes since the incident was first reported," Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch said during a news briefing. "Given the nature of the incident, I am sure you can all appreciate we need to keep the cards very close to our chest."

Murdoch said the teenager is being supported by specialist police who are inside the home while her parents are being kept up-to-date from outside the house. Because of the incident, a number of surrounding homes have been evacuated and roads have been blocked.

Police said it was not yet clear if the device is actually a bomb, but officers are treating it as a live explosive device until they have more information. "Bomb Squad officers remain inside the house where they are examining the device and supporting the woman," police said in a statement, adding that the incident is not being treated as self-harm. "The process demands a high-level of skill and must be meticulous."

Meanwhile, police have appealed for the public's help. "Investigators want to hear from anyone who noticed suspicious activity around the home or on Burrawong Avenue this afternoon to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000," the statement said.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-08-03

[softgeorge]

It appears that it is an extortion.

[softgeorge]

Mr Murdoch said the suspicious device was proving to be "a tough nut to crack to determine what it is and what it is not". He said the victim is "doing a great job keeping her emotions in check" and police are taking steps to make her as comfortable as possible as the operation continues.

Four officers, including bomb disposal experts and negotiators, remain in the room with her towards the front of the house.

Mr Murdoch admitted officers had "gained a little bit of information" from talking to the girl, while investigators are liaising with other national agencies, including the AFP, and were making inquiries internationally.

Source : Nine MSN 12.23 am, Thursday August 04 2011

[softgeorge]

The teen, who hails from a well-known family, only recently turned 18 and is currently studying for her final-year school exams, Nine News reports. Reports say a ransom note is attached to her but police refused to comment.

"Given the nature of the incident, I am sure you can all appreciate we need to keep the cards very close to our chest," Mr Murdoch told reporters at a press conference around 7pm AEST.

Burrawong Avenue has been sealed off and a cordon is in place on surrounding roads. Some residents within a 250m zone have been evacuated and a command post has been set-up.

Mosman is one of Sydney's prestige suburbs, home to multi-million dollar properties and Australian identities such as horse trainer Gai Waterhouse and Wallabies great Phil Kearns.

[chooka]

"A very, very elaborate hoax as it turned out," NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch said on Thursday after police released 18-year-old Madeleine Pulver from the device after a delicate 10-hour operation."But it was made and certainly gave the appearance of a legitimate improvised explosive device," he told the media outside the Wenona High School student's home at Mosman on Sydney's north shore.

"We had to treat it seriously until we could prove otherwise and that's exactly what we did and that's why it took so long."

The suspected bomb was attached to the young woman after a masked man burst into her family home about 2pm on Wednesday in Burrawong Avenue where she lives with her parents William and Belinda Pulver, reportedly one of Sydney's wealthiest families.

I have the feeling that it may be someone from her school playing a very sick prank. Little rich kids with nothing to do.

[janverbeem]

I have the feeling this story will get a tail.

[softgeorge]

Arrest in Madeleine Pulver bomb hoax

07:00 AEST Tue Aug 16 2011

FBI SWAT team arrest Australian man in US

An Australian man has been arrested in the United States over the fake collar bomb attached to Sydney schoolgirl Madeleine Pulver, Nine News has reported this morning.

The 50-year-old man was detained after an FBI SWAT team stormed a house in suburban Louisville, Kentucky, reporter Simon Bouda told TODAY from Chicago.

The man had been under surveillance for some time and was arrested at 5.30am (AEST) after a joint operation by the FBI and two members from NSW Strike Force Hadden.

[chooka]

I have the feeling this story will get a tail.

I guess you were right and it wagged all the way to the U.S.

Mosman suspect arrested in the US

Posted by: 3AW Radio | 16 August, 2011 - 7:03 AM A man has been arrested in the United States over the collar bomb hoax on Sydney schoolgirl Madeleine Pulver.

The FBI arrested the 52-year-old Australian man in a suburb of Louisville, Kentucky.

The fake bomb was attached to 18-year-old 'Maddy' by a balaclava-clad intruder in her family's home on Sydney's north shore on August 3.

After 10 hours of terror the device around Maddy's neck was found not to contain any explosives.

Listen to 3AW LIVE for the very latest.

[Wallaby]

Another sad part about this is the way the media has behaved. The father of the girl, and the girl herself made repeated requests to be left alone so she can get on with a normal life. The media camped out on her doorstep for days and each morning had 'Breaking News' that she was leaving the house with a towel and likely heading to the beach. WOW!!!! Each and every time she left her home she was polite enough to say she was doing well and just wanted to be left alone, each time the media just ignored her pleas. Then reported that she was doing well and wanting to be left alone.

[warfie]

Another sad part about this is the way the media has behaved. The father of the girl, and the girl herself made repeated requests to be left alone so she can get on with a normal life. The media camped out on her doorstep for days and each morning had 'Breaking News' that she was leaving the house with a towel and likely heading to the beach. WOW!!!! Each and every time she left her home she was polite enough to say she was doing well and just wanted to be left alone, each time the media just ignored her pleas. Then reported that she was doing well and wanting to be left alone.

Appalling but not at all surprising.