A wannabe UK arsonist has been intercepted and arrested by police after he was caught bragging about his intended actions on gaming portal Newgrounds. The 16-year-old moron was spotted by a Montreal man who took the threat seriously enough to alert British authorities.
“I saw this thread started by this guy,” explains the 21-year-old student, who saw this thread started by this guy. “It didn’t seem serious at first. It said that today at 11:30 a.m. GMT I will commit violence and other forms of arson against my school [in Norfolk]. He had posted a picture of a gas can.”
Although the police had no address and only a forum thread to go on, they were able to track down the teen within an hour thanks to help from the Newgrounds community. He was found with a knife, matches and a canister of flammable liquid, looking like he meant serious business.
The worst part of this story is that it’s happened before, which makes the apprehended firestarter look even more stupid. Last year, a GameFAQs poster burned down a church and then boasted about it on the message board, an act which led to his arrest. If you can’t learn from people’s mistakes, then you really shouldn’t be allowed out of your house.
Published: Mar 21, 2009 09:00 am