It can be tempting to tell a boss you don't like what you really think of them when they fire you from your job. But no matter how wronged you feel, you shouldn't fight fire with fire. A Pennsylvania man has been arrested on suspicion of blowing up his former boss's car in front of his house, NBC10 Philadelphia reports.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Jersey, surveillance video from July 26 showed a dark Jeep Renegade stopping in front of the unnamed victim's home in Delran, New Jersey. An individual got out of the Jeep, carried something over to the Ford Explorer parked in front of the house, put it down by the driver's door, then returned to his car and left quickly. Soon afterward, the same Jeep quickly drove past the victim's house, and then a large explosion occurred, destroying the Ford.
Police later identified what appeared to be the same Jeep Renegade parked near the home of Michael Patrick Takacs, Jr., in Warminster, Pennsylvania. Takacs had worked for the victim until he was fired this past May. Further investigation revealed that Takacs had allegedly bought detonators online of the same type found at the scene of the explosion, and had taken a screenshot of a map showing where the victim lived. He also reportedly discussed buying a James Bond-style license plate flipper.
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This Is Not The Way
Getting back at your old boss is nothing new. We've seen a disgruntled Mercedes employee smash 50 vans with a Caterpillar. There's also the time someone crushed his boss's Mercedes with a massive earth mover. (What is it about Mercedes that gets people so upset?) In these cases, it was only the unfortunate cars that were in danger. The District Attorney's Office says, "The explosion caused a debris field extending out approximately 100 feet in diameter, with various nails and bolts lodged in both the body of the Ford Explorer and in adjacent residential homes." This could have caused serious bodily harm beyond the effects of the blast itself. Granted, at 2:42 AM when the explosion occurred, not many people would have been around. But why was the extra debris necessary if the goal was simply to destroy the former boss's car? The explosion itself would've done that.
As a result, Takacs faces federal charges of possessing an explosive device and transporting it across state lines with knowledge and intent that it would intimidate an individual and damage and destroy a building, vehicle, and personal property. There are better ways to go after a former employer who mistreated you than blowing things up or setting their warehouse on fire. We recommend pursuing legal means, even if they don't like it very much.
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