SWAT team arrests suspect in fake bomb case
Source: Agencies |
August 17, 2011, Wednesday
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A US SWAT (special weapons and tactics) team descended on a quiet Louisville suburb to arrest a man authorities say broke into a family's home in Australia and chained a fake bomb to a teenage woman's neck as part of an extortion ploy.
Paul "Doug" Peters, 50, faces charges in Australia that include kidnapping and breaking and entering, according to Luke Moore of the New South Wales police. The extradition process is expected take about two months.
His capture comes nearly two weeks after 18-year-old Madeleine Pulver was attacked in the wealthy Sydney suburb of Mosman. She was alone studying for exams when a masked man broke into the house, chained an apparent bomb to her and left a note with demands.
Bomb technicians, negotiators and detectives arrived at the home, other houses were evacuated, streets were closed and medical and fire crews were put on standby. Pulver spent 10 hours chained to the device before the bomb squad freed her. She was not hurt, and the device was found to contain no explosives. Australia's prime minister said the event resembled "a Hollywood script."
Police have released no details of what the note contained.
Moore flew from Sydney to Louis-ville for the arrest, but would not say what led police to Peters. "There was a range of pieces of evidence that led us to identify this suspect," he said.
Peters is an Australian citizen but has lived in the US, including Kentucky.
The Pulvers were relieved to hear of the arrest. William Pulver, chief executive of an information technology company, described his daughter as "a bright, happy young woman who for reasons we still do not understand had her life turned upside down going through this dreadful experience."
He added: "These past two weeks have been a very difficult time for us and we are hopeful that this development marks the beginning of the end of this traumatic ordeal for our family."
The normally tranquil suburb of La Grange, about 50 kilometers from Louisville, was taken aback at the sight of armed SWAT officers.
One resident said: "We had guys with machine guns in our back yard." He and his wife estimated Doug Peters had probably spent about six months of the past two years at the house.
Investigators on Monday night were searching the five-bedroom, two-story home that is on the market for US$400,000. Moore said authorities are still investigating why Madeleine Pulver was targeted.
Paul "Doug" Peters, 50, faces charges in Australia that include kidnapping and breaking and entering, according to Luke Moore of the New South Wales police. The extradition process is expected take about two months.
His capture comes nearly two weeks after 18-year-old Madeleine Pulver was attacked in the wealthy Sydney suburb of Mosman. She was alone studying for exams when a masked man broke into the house, chained an apparent bomb to her and left a note with demands.
Bomb technicians, negotiators and detectives arrived at the home, other houses were evacuated, streets were closed and medical and fire crews were put on standby. Pulver spent 10 hours chained to the device before the bomb squad freed her. She was not hurt, and the device was found to contain no explosives. Australia's prime minister said the event resembled "a Hollywood script."
Police have released no details of what the note contained.
Moore flew from Sydney to Louis-ville for the arrest, but would not say what led police to Peters. "There was a range of pieces of evidence that led us to identify this suspect," he said.
Peters is an Australian citizen but has lived in the US, including Kentucky.
The Pulvers were relieved to hear of the arrest. William Pulver, chief executive of an information technology company, described his daughter as "a bright, happy young woman who for reasons we still do not understand had her life turned upside down going through this dreadful experience."
He added: "These past two weeks have been a very difficult time for us and we are hopeful that this development marks the beginning of the end of this traumatic ordeal for our family."
The normally tranquil suburb of La Grange, about 50 kilometers from Louisville, was taken aback at the sight of armed SWAT officers.
One resident said: "We had guys with machine guns in our back yard." He and his wife estimated Doug Peters had probably spent about six months of the past two years at the house.
Investigators on Monday night were searching the five-bedroom, two-story home that is on the market for US$400,000. Moore said authorities are still investigating why Madeleine Pulver was targeted.
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