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Rental Car Trouble Leads to Airport Bomb Threat

Andrew Purdy, 47, was fined £300 after he pleaded guilty in April to committing a breach of the peace by threatening to bomb the airport. He lost his temper with staff at the Hertz rental company in Picardy Place, Edinburgh, in October 2008.

by Staff
May 26, 2010
1 min to read


A man was fined after threatening to bomb Scotland's Edinburgh Airport in retaliation for having trouble renting a car, according to the BBC.

Andrew Purdy, 47, pleaded guilty in April to committing a breach of the peace by threatening to bomb the airport. He lost his temper with staff at the Hertz rental company in Picardy Place, Edinburgh, in October 2008.

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Purdy was fined £300. The sheriff heard that Purdy had psychiatric issues in the past.

After booking the rental car over the Internet, he was told at the rental car facility that he had to pay the full amount for the vehicle.

The prosecutor in the case said there was "difficulty" with Purdy's credit card. Purdy then became upset and demanded a refund of his deposit, according to the prosecutor.

The prosecutor added that Purdy told them: "Tell your manager there will be a bomb at the airport tonight and people will be killed." He then left and the staff contacted police.

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