HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — A man in Harrison Township allegedly tried to make his vehicle look like a bomb, warning people if the car was touched, it would blow up because it was at risk of being repossessed.
John Clark lives in the Willow Point Mobile Home Park. He saw his 45-year-old neighbor working on his car Monday night but didn’t know what he was doing. Tuesday morning, it became pretty clear.
“Woke up to him putting propane tanks in his car, saying he was going to blow it up," Clark said.
At 9:05 a.m., the Macomb County Sheriff's Office responded to Bradford Drive within the mobile home park to find a propane tank in the passenger seat of the suspect's car with electrical wire running from the regulator to inside the middle console.
A second tank was found on the driver’s side front wheel with copper wire running underneath the car.
There was also allegedly some signage.
"He had a piece of cardboard in his windshield that said 'don’t move car, it will blow up,'" resident Bryana Haglund said.
The Michigan State Police Bomb Squad responded and evacuated residents in the immediate area.
“I just went to one of my family's house on the east side. I said 'OK, I’m going. I’m going real far,'" resident Aliyyah Wells said. “It’s crazy to me."
After about an hour and a half, residents were able to return to their homes. MSP Bomb Squad determined the bomb was a hoax, and residents say the car was taken away anyways.
“I think he wishes he would’ve just gave the car up. Let’s put it like that, you know," resident George Locricchio.
The suspect was taken into custody and could be facing a five year felony.
