Man arrested for wearing watch

A Southern California man was arrested at Oakland International Airport after security officers found him wearing an unusual watch they said could be used to make a timing device for a bomb, authorities said Friday. Geoffrey McGann, 49, of Rancho Palos Verdes was taken into custody Thursday night after he tried to pass through airport security with an ornate watch that had switches, wires and fuses, according to Sgt. J.D. Nelson, a spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriff's Department.

A bomb squad arrived within five minutes and determined there were no explosive materials in the watch, Nelson said. The checkpoint was closed while officers secured the area. McGann was taken to Santa Rita Jail in Dublin where he was charged with possessing materials to make an explosive device, sheriff's officials said. He was still in custody Friday night and could not be reached for comment. McGann told Transportation Security Administration officers that he's an artist and the watch is art, Nelson said. While no actual explosives were found, McGann was carrying potentially dangerous materials and appeared to have made alterations to his boots, which were unusually large and stuffed with layers of insoles, Nelson said.

A profile for a person named Geoffrey McGann on the website LinkedIn.com lists him as the owner and creative director of a media production company called Generator Content. He attended the Art College Center of Design in Pasadena from 1984 to 1987, according to the website.

BOOM!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!

this is absolutely appalling.

welcome to the USA

They found no explosives and still charged this man because he had a watch that could be used as a timer for a bomb.

thought I would share dont have much more to say on the matter though

Artist makes watch that has switches, wires and fuses and wears it where he knows it will cause a kerfuffle.

Artist gets stopped at airport.

Artist gets his name all over the papers.

Simple

No but seriously, that sucks.

LOL you have retards working in police stations ,retards working at the tsa and retards running your county.. LOL

I don't really feel sorry for Americans as you keep voting for full retard .

Okay, so exactly how far are we away from being arrested for thought crimes. I mean, if we are capable of thinking about a way to hurt someone, shouldn't we be neutralized? It is for our own safety for criminy's sake. Literally, any thing at all could be utilized for harm if the person planning it has the capacity to think of a way to make use of it.
There is no limit. So, yes, it is a rhetorical question, but, one we must consider. Just how soon will they be arresting us for 'pre-crime'?

reply to post by lobotomizemecapin


I wonder if he was wearing one of these bad boys..............


When he should have simply been wearing one of these Star Trek looking weapons.......


Either way - the TSA peeps are border-line Paranoid Schizophrenic - seemingly.

reply to post by Sublimecraft


No. You are wrong. They are far beyond borderline. I would say that if one were standing where they are on the chart, the borderline designation would be a days walk from there.

They are criminals acting out orders handed forth by criminals who serve criminals.

ETA: I really dig the steampunk watch. We did some pretty cool steampunk props for Jules Verne's Mysterious Island SYFY movie.That stuff's alot of fun because there really is no rules, just cools.

Fear and paranoia drive society.

A sane man (the minority) sees this as a huge screw up. Some guy minding his business harassed by an overzealous force of buffoons.

The rest of the mob sees this man as playing with fire for wearing that watch and the harassers as some sort of brave line between civilization and anarchy who are lucky to make it home every night.

That mob runs everything. If you're sane by any measure you should be terrified of that mob and the power they wield because sooner or later you will be strung up by that mob for doing nothing at all.

The absolute worst part of these situations is the mob never steps back and apologizes. They never admit fault. They press bunk charges and make you feel like the luckiest guy on earth that they dont just shoot you in the street.

Spilled flour resulted in a $30,000 fine after a gross overreaction by "authorities". Some poor lost guy just trying to find help gets a felony trespassing charge. Now some dude just wearing a watch gets charged with having bomb making materials. Well, what watch cant be used as a timer? Will they charge us all? They would if they could and they may still yet.

reply to post by wirefly


Amen.......

Sad, but true.

(Aussie btw so I've only heard the horror stories - not experienced them)

Those watches are pretty cool though.....right?

Originally posted by freedomSlave
LOL you have retards working in police stations ,retards working at the tsa and retards running your county.. LOL

I don't really feel sorry for Americans as you keep voting for full retard .

hey dont blame me sir if it were my choice they would have fought to the death in order to get to be president.

and then they would be thrown in a cage somewhere in the ghetto and make their decisions on how to run the country from there

Originally posted by Sublimecraft
reply to post by lobotomizemecapin

 

I wonder if he was wearing one of these bad boys..............

Either way - the TSA peeps are border-line Paranoid Schizophrenic - seemingly.

well hey I would be a bit apprehensive of that first watch... It seems to have some weight and would hurt to be smacked with lol

artist should take train next time

the rules of flying have changed forever, and no you do not have a "right" to fly commercially any way you feel like it

They are already developing PRE- CRIME scanners to identify people bent upon mayhem by their body language.....This is REAL TIME folks....get ready for it......

reply to post by lobotomizemecapin

Interesting article, star for you.

On the other hand if I may,

Why don't people take frick'n responsibility for their stupid thoughtless actions!
I don't know about you but had this guys sat next to me on the plane with this contraption on his arm, looking as they describe, I would be ever so slightly concerned, especially if he looked like a mad doctor and smelled like cat piss. That's called, a clue.

What if they waved him through and the plane blew up, with your wife or family member on it,... who get's it then?

When I fly, call me anal, but I take a moment to make sure I have nothing on me that resembles a weapon, knife, time bomb, bazooka, brass knuckles, whatever. Because I would like to get to where I'm going without the possibility of delay.

Get realistic, the signs at the security lines list and itemize crap you can't bring through the checkpoint,... for a reason.
Because there are plenty of yahoos out there that think you, and your child, and mother-in-law are Satan's spawn, and they want to kill you all, have done so, and will do again.

I could give a crap if that idiot was detained and investigated or arrested (charges will be dropped trust me.)
At least I know the plane was safe to depart the gate, or at least as safe as we can make it short of a body cavity search.

It they don't like the rules, go rent a car and drive there. Just another $0.02

reply to post by Lonewulph


My problem with this is based only on the aspect that he was arrested and is being charged.

Yeah if someone has something suspicious on them they should be checked make sure its not a bomb and if it is not he should be able to fly.

He should not be arrested and charged for liking to dress differently. I mean it is a watch... come on

Originally posted by Lonewulph
reply to post by lobotomizemecapin

 

I could give a crap if that idiot was detained and investigated or arrested (charges will be dropped trust me.)
At least I know the plane was safe to depart the gate, or at least as safe as we can make it short of a body cavity search.

It they don't like the rules, go rent a car and drive there. Just another $0.02

edit on 17-11-2012 by Lonewulph because: (no reason given)

Well perhaps they don't like the way YOU look because of your sweaty forehead and shortness of breath. Even though you just ran through the airport because you almost missed your flight because the TSA was conducting one of their new FREEZE drills where they make everyone in the airport freeze at their command and not move until they say it's ok, and compounded by a lockdown of the terminal because a baby diaper was left on a trashcan lid? Perhaps they arrested YOU and all of the other passengers looked at you and said among themselves," I'm sure glad the TSA is doing their job keeping us safe from that lunatic. How would you feel about the "idiot" artist then? If you don't like it, why don't YOU rent a car and drive there.

There. I see your 2 cents and call. All in good natured ribbing my friend.

Obviously ridiculous and I hope the guy gets a fat settlement when his case is dismissed OR I would suggest preparation and prayer if he's convicted!

Besides, as 007's new "Q" stated in the movie:
"I can do more damage with my laptop in my pajamas before my first cup of earl grey in the morning than you can do in the field in a year".
Don't you have an app for that on your smart phone?

ganjoa

Originally posted by freedomSlave
LOL you have retards working in police stations ,retards working at the tsa and retards running your county.. LOL
I don't really feel sorry for Americans as you keep voting for full retard .

Really?
"Retard" is the best you can do?

Originally posted by JohnnyCanuck

Originally posted by freedomSlave
LOL you have retards working in police stations ,retards working at the tsa and retards running your county.. LOL
I don't really feel sorry for Americans as you keep voting for full retard .

Really?
"Retard" is the best you can do?

hahaha I agree with you retard is the wrong word here bc they are far from stupid.

greedy criminals is more in tune with the truth

reply to post by Sublimecraft


cool watch (2nd one)

very cool avatar

Originally posted by JohnnyCanuck

Originally posted by freedomSlave
LOL you have retards working in police stations ,retards working at the tsa and retards running your county.. LOL
I don't really feel sorry for Americans as you keep voting for full retard .

Really?
"Retard" is the best you can do?

The other word i had in mind was a t&c violation