Miffed cell suscriber goes on tower-destroying rampage in APC
By Sean Cooper 
posted Jul 16th 2007 6:51PM
posted Jul 16th 2007 6:51PM
We'll take our warfare small-sized and mobile-friendly any day of the week, thank you very much. Seems an angry cell subscriber likely had the ride of his life wiped all trace of frustration from his soul by rampaging through Sydney destroying six cell towers in an Armored Personnel Carrier. Charged with malicious damage, break and enter, predatory driving, and driving in a dangerous manner, the mad driver was arrested on his way to a seventh appointment. The driver's name and carrier in question aren't mentioned, but we can assume he won't be worrying about cell reception where he's likely to end up -- unless, of course, it was all just an accident.
Holy crap that's awesome!
He managed to destroy 4 Telstra towers and 3 Optus towers, but service was apparently not interrupted.
Win!
What I love about this story other than the fact that he lives around the corner from me, is that the only reason he stopped was ...he stalled the tank, revving it up to hit another tower!
...upon being arrested, the man was overheard saying "Man! That was the coolest GTA mission I've ever played!"...
...he was later seen outside the police station, with only $100 to his name.
GTA Sydney Syndicate coming soon.
How the hell he got an armoured personnel carrier anyway.
Haliburton was quickly contracted to do the repairs.
all i can do is laugh. seriously!
Apparently you can type, also.
ahehe? how witty.
Google is your friend.
A much better article.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Bail-refused-for-man-in-tank-rampage/2007/07/14/1183833809964.html
Predatory driving? now that's sexy. "What are you in for?" "predatory driving f-tard, what of it!"
Yep, this is pretty much the coolest thing ever.
An update on the case. here
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22082746-29277,00.html
he was indescriminate in his "rampage" taking out towers and communication buildings from all 3 major providers.
"Former-employer Greg Morris said Patterson had once done telecommunications work for the army and believed mobile phone waves had harmed his mental state. "
^^ So that's the reason enought to take an APC for a "joy ride"
Well, yes. Apparently they DID affect his mental state. Lucky he just happened to be restoring a TANK. If he'd been restoring an old bicycle the story would be been far less spectacular.
Life imitates art...
Sprint would TOTALLY drop him as a user....
Obviously they were a sprint customer.
I had heard that cell phones did increase the risk of accidents...
That either takes balls the size of water melons or a brain the size of a pea, but i think its a damn good way of making your voice heard!
"Can you hear me now?"
Road rage reaches a new level. ;)
Not really, a few years ago there was an man that stole a tank in Las Angeles California that went on a rampage.
Actually, the tank was in San Diego, CA
Too bad he didn't fire the gun to take out a tower.
Was he wearing a tinfoil hat?
"Can you hear me now..bitch?" LOL
beat me to it. lol
Googles "How to steal a tank"
he'll be getting "cell reception" for certain now . . . very WARM cell reception . . . don't drop your phone!
Here's a video clip showing him ramming one of the towers :)
http://www.abc.com.au/news/video/2007/07/16/1979944.htm
Who knew EA was going to make a Battle field outback
I'm 1337, I'm nine, I fight dirty/Rolling around in my APC...
Engadget needs to change the title and the description of the event. He wasn't a miffed cell subscriber. He was a former employee of both the teleco company and the place he stole the APC from.
IM IN UR TANX, DESTROYIN UR TOWERZ
made my day
Is it just me, or does that APC look really old? Seriously, was he from WW2, by chance?
Yes it was vintage, 1956 is a number in my head but it could be wrong. He was restoring it for the owner that rents it out for school formals and the like sp he had full access
"the owner that rents it out for school formals"
Hey baby, look at this kickass tank I rented for prom, It's sure better than a crappy limo!
Wow, I didn't realize that Australia was that dangerous. I've never needed to rent an APC for any formal events here in the states.
Maybe he was pissed because Telstra does not like the iPhone.
http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/15/ce-oh-no-he-didnt-part-xxvii-telstra-tells-apple-to-stick-t/
Niiice. This guy needs to team up with the dude who earlier this year drove his car into a carrier retail store. Go for maximum damage.
As Cru Jones said, the man was a former employee of the Telecommunications company whose towers he destroyed. He was also a former employee of a business that had restored the APC (and another one similar) and rented them out for special occasions - like wedding receptions and school formals.
And service was indeed interrupted, but for only a day or so.
Shotgun weddings?
He stole the APC from a man who collected them, he suffered thousands of dollars of damage and the APC wasn't insured.
Also he was under the influence of drugs.
Optus and Toll$tra deserve it :)
I mean, how irresponsible.
;)
pic from Telstra internal website
http://wonkothesane.com/blog/?p=33
Reminds me of the "killdozer" incident from a few years back (wikipedia it).
Its cool, but not nearly as cool as the Abrams Tank chase from Cops (California) a few years ago. I tried to find some video of that chase, its a classic, a must see for sure.
Yeah, I think he got his idea from this guy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqpxeWQ_XJw
Reminds me of it.
Now companies know they can't just treat their customers like dirt.
When they welcome him into jail he will get his cell reception.
In an earlier post I mentioned a chase with an Abrams Tank, it was actually M-60 tank in Los Angeles.
Here is the video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1203730021721681764