Security training device causes pipe bomb scare

Heather Rawlyk and Mary Manning

Friday, Sept. 17, 2004 | 9:23 a.m.

Metro Police called the Las Vegas Fire and Rescue bomb squad to a rental car agency Thursday at 5:15 p.m. after an employee discovered what looked like a pipe bomb inside a returned car.

A Texas police officer had dropped off the vehicle at the Thrifty Car Rental at McCarran International Airport, police said.

The object turned out to be a training device used at a security training session in Lake Havasu, Ariz., this week and was left behind in the rental car by mistake, Metro Lt. Ted Lee said.

The device, which resembled a pipe bomb, was found by a rental company employee who had taken the vehicle to clean it, Lee said.

After looking at the car, police evacuated the area and alerted the bomb squad. Police also cordoned off nearby streets between 5:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., Lee said. All roads that surround the rental car area were closed before the bomb squad rendered the device safe.

While the bomb squad secured the device, Metro detectives located the Texas officer who had left the faux pipe bomb in his rental car.

Motorists were diverted around the Thrifty building, so no one was held back trying to reach their destinations. Police created detours for people to be able to drop off their cars.

Charles Valier of Toledo was dropping off a rental car early and was stopped by police.

"They didn't tell me it was a possible bomb scare," Valier said. "I didn't know what in the world was going on, actually. It was kind of scary, you know, with all these cops sending you this way and that way. This isn't the kind of scare you want to get right before a five-hour flight.

"It's good to see they take everything seriously, even if it's nothing," he said. "Better safe than sorry is how I see it. It didn't cause any problems with getting here on time or anything. If anything, it just puts a eerie feeling in your mind for the plane ride."

Rent-A-Car Road, Kitty Hawk Way and Gus Giuffre Drive were blocked to traffic while the bomb squad tested the device, said Debbie Millett, a spokeswoman for the Clark County Aviation Department.

"It's my understanding it's all clear and everything is open," Millett said after 9 p.m.