Aaron Stein, 35, is accused of disguising the sex toy as a hoax bomb when he robbed the PNC Bank branch in Crafton, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Monday.
“He had a mask on, said he had a bomb and displayed some wires hanging out from underneath his shirt,” said Crafton police chief Mark Sumpter, quoted in the Daily Star. Bank staff reported that the bogus device also featured a green light which appeared to be a trigger button.
Police shut down roads and called in the bomb squad after the robber made his escape in a white Toyota. He was subsequently pulled over and officers found money in a bag and beneath the front passenger seat. Meanwhile a robot was sent in to carry out a thorough inspection of the vehicle.
Stein quickly admitted the true identity of his ‘device’ – but cautious explosives experts took no chances as they detonated the dildo along with a briefcase which was also found in the car. Sumpter confirmed to NBC station WPXI, of Pittsburgh, that the device had comprised “a makeshift box he made out of a box, black tape, vibrator and cellphone”.
According to court papers Stein told police he had robbed the bank after losing all his money on the stock market. He is set to appear in court next week accused of nine offences – including the unusual count of possessing a facsimile weapon of mass destruction.
