NationStates Jolt Archive

An Australian man did what I've always wanted to do when I see a decommisioned tank at a VFW or whatever: He took it for a ride. The man led a long chase that destroyed several mobile phone towers and relay thingies. I would've used it to secede or just cruise down the highway...

Link (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070714/od_afp/australiacrimeoffbeat)

SYDNEY (AFP) - An Australian man allegedly used a restored army tank to destroy mobile phone towers on a rampage through Sydney early Saturday, police said.

Police said officers patrolling the western suburbs of Australian's largest city came across the privately-owned tank being used to destroy an electricity sub-station in the early hours of Saturday morning.

They followed the vehicle through several suburbs for 90 minutes as it smashed into mobile phone towers.

The low-speed pursuit, which police said averaged 30 kilometres (19 miles) an hour, finally arresting the driver after it stalled.

"The tank left a path of destruction in its wake, bringing down a number of mobile phone towers and relay sheds," New South Wales police said in a statement.

The 45-year-old driver was charged with a number of offices, including predatory driving, possessing a prohibited drug and using a weapon to avoid apprehension.

He will face a bail hearing later Saturday.

Police gave no reason why the man targeted mobile phone towers.

there was a guy who stole a tank a few years ago in LA i believe...he ended up getting it stuck on the concrete divider on the interstate and the police killed him..I would use it to get through rush hour

just a crazy Cockroach (slang for someone from NSW) nothing new to me

Good thing it was in Australia, in some countries if you did that they'd probably hit with a few bazookas.

there was a guy who stole a tank a few years ago in LA i believe...he ended up getting it stuck on the concrete divider on the interstate and the police killed him..I would use it to get through rush hour

I remember that... tho I don't remember them killing the driver...


I also remember reading about a Russian tank crew that got lost. they ended up trading their tank to a store owner for a case of vodka. by the time they reported in, and the military located the owner... he had already dismantled it and sold most of it off as scrap.

me. Twirl the turret around and get dizzy.

then let kids ride in the turret as I twirl it around.

won't drive it tho. big difference between harmless fun and destroying property.

just a crazy Cockroach (slang for someone from NSW) nothing new to me

LOL!

Dunno what the slang term Cockroach means in NSW, but in Hawaii, it means to take something in a sneaky fashion. "eh, the guy just wen cockroach the last beer and nevah say nuthin."

LOL!

Dunno what Cockroach is in NSW, but in Hawaii, it means to take something in a sneaky fashion. "eh, the guy just wen cockroach the last beer and nevah say nuthin."

only know it's a very old slang word for calling them, like Banana bender for a person from Queensland

I'll never understand why reporters think every vehicle that has tracks is a tank.

The poor man has apparently a legitimate grievance: he is a former phone company employee who believes that the radiation from phone towers is the cause of his headaches...


.

The poor man has apparently a legitimate grievance: he is a former phone company employee who believes that the radiation from phone towers is the cause of his headaches...


.

or got fired from Telstra

I'll never understand why reporters think every vehicle that has tracks is a tank.

do you know what kind it was?

the article only says "tank".


Reporter: Why would anyone want to own a Sherman tank?
Zack: Because it's very hard to shoot yourself while you're cleaning it.
-Tank-

well I watched a whole special on it once..they said they opened the hatch and shot the man fatally

well I watched a whole special on it once..they said they opened the hatch and shot the man fatally

not disputing... just saying i didn't recall them killing the driver. :)

The poor man has apparently a legitimate grievance: he is a former phone company employee who believes that the radiation from phone towers is the cause of his headaches...


.

Now he's going have headaches because he's in prison ... or the Telcos will sue him for the damage, so he's bankrupt for the rest of his life.

do you know what kind it was?

the article only says "tank".

so you know it was M113 APC with fake turret on top

so you know it was M113 APC with fake turret on top

was it? :confused:

I just assumed there was a turret. so if the Commander's cupola can still spin...

Weeeeeeeeee! :p

if not... APC... fill the back up with shaving cream?

heck... why not both!

not disputing... just saying i didn't recall them killing the driver. :)

lol I was just saying where I got my info from...not arguing :p

was it? :confused:

I just assumed there was a turret. so if the Commander's cupola can still spin...

Weeeeeeeeee! :p

if not... APC... fill the back up with shaving cream?

heck... why not both!

saw it on TV and i know what our Light Horse Regiment use as it's what in the photo in the link

well I watched a whole special on it once..they said they opened the hatch and shot the man fatally

You're not talking about this, are you? http://www.komotv.com/news/archive/4126256.html

saw it on TV and i know what our Light Horse Regiment use as it's what in the photo in the link

... funny, the only photo I see is a dried up mummy. :p

nvmd... I see the video link. :p

better thought... fill the inside with liquid jello, then hose the outside with several chemical fire extinguishers to chill...


APC Jello mold anyone?

I might drive over a bridge to a secluded island, blow up the bridge, and claim it sovereign territory.

Of course, I'd have to deal with recruiting men for its defense, building, etc.

With the way my island got independence, I think bombfall would be the most common weather pattern.

I guess someone forgot to tell this guy he can do this sort of thing in several video games so he doesn't need to spend money on a real tank...

Still doesn't really match up to the Killdozer which ripped apart a quiet Colorado town.

I guess someone forgot to tell this guy he can do this sort of thing in several video games so he doesn't need to spend money on a real tank...

http://www.alexlo.net/photoblog/img/060603-2.jpg

Is it odd that this story makes me proud to be an aussie?

... funny, the only photo I see is a dried up mummy. :p

nvmd... I see the video link. :p

better thought... fill the inside with liquid jello, then hose the outside with several chemical fire extinguishers to chill...


APC Jello mold anyone?

can give you a line to Yahoo7 then you just click Video: Tank rampage across Sydney but you may only get just Yahoo http://au.yahoo.com/index.html?ver=800

Looked more like an IFV to me.

Still doesn't really match up to the Killdozer which ripped apart a quiet Colorado town.

I think some guy took a tank for a joyride in California once - cops executed him on the spot when he finally opened the hatch. :p I think his wife sued.

LOL!

Dunno what the slang term Cockroach means in NSW, but in Hawaii, it means to take something in a sneaky fashion. "eh, the guy just wen cockroach the last beer and nevah say nuthin."

Hawaiians have east-coast accents? :p

Didn't look to me like a tank at all, no gun and the treads were pretty high.

To answer the OP... I'd probably use a stolen tank to pick up girls. Beats the POS Saturn I'm stuck with.

Looked more like an IFV to me.

it's a fake turret look at the gap if you watching the tape

I don't know why you would want to secede. You could just pretend you had your own nation.

In fact, I've always wondered why there wasn't a website where you could make and manage your own nation. Hrm.

Hawaiians have east-coast accents? :p

it's Pidgin English... Hard to listen to, but stay easy fo speak.

it's Pidgin English... Hard to listen to, but stay easy fo speak.

Ah, okay then. ;) I hear a bit of that around here too, at work at least. :)

Ah, okay then. ;) I hear a bit of that around here too, at work at least. :)

or...

Shoot Brah! ;) We get em here to! :)

:p

I'd sell it to some rich eccentric.

I lived one block from the armory that the M60 MBT was stolen from in San Diego (actually it was Clairmont, right next to the school that Fast Times at Ridgemont High was shot at...). We (my roomies and I) lost power for more than 12 hours, which doesn't seem like a long time, but you have to take into consideration that there was no natural disaster involved...

First, I want to say that it is in fact my dream to own some kind of APC or MBT, preferrably Russian/Soviet. I'd totally love to drive that thing around my hometown.

Second, to the guy in the article, "Screw you, you dum bastard! Use private AVF's responsibly!"

Seriously, if the British government decides to ban ownership of decommisioned army vehicles because of this, my head will explode.

Seriously, if the British government decides to ban ownership of decommisioned army vehicles because of this, my head will explode.

and why would that happen when it never happen in the UK

and why would that happen when it never happen in the UK

Well it is possible that one of our politicians will read about this story, and will consider that it is technically possible that a similiar incident could occur here. There are plenty of privately-owned tanks in the UK. There is also a recent hype about terrorism, due to the recent failed bombings.

You can see that it's not unreasonable to imagine our politicians at least considering limiting the ownership of potentially dangerous vehicles.

But I suppose it depends on whether the Aussie government do anything about it first. It's something I like to call Democratic precedent. If such a law is passed in Australia, there's a higher probability a similiar law will be considered in another country, such as Britain.

But I suppose it depends on whether the Aussie government do anything about it first. It's something I like to call Democratic precedent. If such a law is passed in Australia, there's a higher probability a similiar law will be considered in another country, such as Britain.
your safe as they wont do a thing

You're not talking about this, are you? http://www.komotv.com/news/archive/4126256.html

That's awesome...except for the rampage part.

I guess someone forgot to tell this guy he can do this sort of thing in several video games so he doesn't need to spend money on a real tank...

He stole the tank...buying a video game would actually cost more. What video game(s), btw?

I think some guy took a tank for a joyride in California once - cops executed him on the spot when he finally opened the hatch. :p I think his wife sued.

Only in California...

First, I want to say that it is in fact my dream to own some kind of APC or MBT, preferrably Russian/Soviet. I'd totally love to drive that thing around my hometown.

Second, to the guy in the article, "Screw you, you dum bastard! Use private AVF's responsibly!"

Seriously, if the British government decides to ban ownership of decommisioned army vehicles because of this, my head will explode.

That sounds like something they would do...NYC also...not that there's room for a tank...

An Australian man did what I've always wanted to do when I see a decommisioned tank at a VFW or whatever: He took it for a ride. The man led a long chase that destroyed several mobile phone towers and relay thingies. I would've used it to secede or just cruise down the highway...

Link (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070714/od_afp/australiacrimeoffbeat)

I saw that happen once on MASH.

oh my gosh, I have always wanted to do tat. Lucky him.I would want to drive down the highway in it.

What are the laws in relation to where you can drive a privately owned tank/APC?

Good thing it was in Australia, in some countries if you did that they'd probably hit with a few bazookas.
Ah, but the thing about the Australian Defence Forces is that was 1 of the 2 tanks they've ever owned that he was in, and to afford a single bazooka would cost roughly 8x their annual budget.

Ah, but the thing about the Australian Defence Forces is that was 1 of the 2 tanks they've ever owned that he was in, and to afford a single bazooka would cost roughly 8x their annual budget.

That's not a nice thing to say! :(

On the other hand, I suppose it would explain all the fuss over those missing LAWs... :p

What are the laws in relation to where you can drive a privately owned tank/APC?
"Not over anything you feel like driving over, esp. traffic jams, but down roads and across the land is OK"

That's not a nice thing to say! :(

On the other hand, I suppose it would explain all the fuss over those missing LAWs... :p
The truth hurts :p

IIRC the ADF is actually selling all 9 of its Steyr Augs to buy a CAS-pattern Sopwith Camel to defend against any possible invasion by New Zealand, too.