Is the Port Authority Being Bottle-Taunted?

Last Friday afternoon-into-evening, commuters leaving NYC through the Lincoln Tunnel were treated to hours of delays, because a suspicious package was left on I-495 West. It turned out to be two bottles filled with an ultimately harmless liquid, but the damage was done: Traffic was diverted to local roads in NJ, commuter bus passengers were hating their devotion to mass transit, and there were still hours of residual delays.

The Post dubs the perp, "Lincoln Lunatic." Now WABC 7 wonders if someone is trying to test the Lincoln Tunnel and the Port Authority police, noting that this is just the latest bottle stunt: "The first one occurring four weeks ago, when someone placed '3 plastic heart shaped bottles' of an unknown liquid on the New Jersey side of the Lincoln Tunnel. One bottle had a 'gray wire inside' and a message, 'don't look at me.' And then again last Wednesday, two 'red sealed bottles were glued' near a lamp post."

Which also gives Paul Nunziato, of the Port Authority police union, a chance to say, "I would say they're studying what's going on at the tunnel. Because they've been able to do it, 7 bottles placed on one of the busiest roadways in the world and no one sees them no one caught an eye on them, including the cameras." The union says patrols have been scaled back at the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels.

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By Jen Chung in News on October 7, 2008 9:52 AM

Comments [rss]

Wza

1010 wins is reporting an arrest has been made.

NJ man and friend did it as a spoof.

EastRiver

If America hadn't turned into a nation of panty piddling cowards we'd just ignore these things.

Like the security screeners ignored the 9/11 hijackers? There's a difference between being paranoid and so frightened that you never leave the house versus being prudent and smart. That said, I don't think real terrorists would leave a note in the bottle.

jaycjay

Personally, since everything I've read about this is in the context of an exchange between an employer and a union, I have no idea what's really going on.

Rob T Firefly

At least they were just bottles, and not light-up cartoon characters giving the finger.

Toby von Meistersinger

My gut says it is an inside job.

Wza

So basically the cameras are there just for show?

UnrepentantFenian

@ # 2 I think the union was making the claim that these things are happening at the same time that the Port Authority is scaling back patrols to reduce overtime costs. They appear to be coincidental.

Peter

If America hadn't turned into a nation of panty piddling cowards we'd just ignore these things.

Bubba

Another Pratt "art" project, perhaps???

sillylittleme

I agree with the above.

I was one of those commuter passengers (to and from PA everyday!)and when I found out it was a measly Snapple bottle my fellow "devoted passengers" and I made jokes. It seems as though it's turned into something not so funny anymore.

My question is, if they're suggesting that this is a test from the "Lincoln Lunatic" - why are they scaling back patrols? That doesn't make too much sense.

Atomische

Well, this changes things a bit.

When I first heard the phrase "bottles filled with harmless liquid" my mind pictured Snapple bottles filled with taxi-driver pee left by the roadway.

But if they are fastening them to the tunnel then it's definitely more sinister, even if they are 'ultimately' harmless.