In an effort to reduce his carbon footprint, an elderly Auckland inventor with a unique bio-car has drawn some unwanted attention from the bomb squad.
A white Nissan station wagon, left by its owner in the Wash World carpark on Link Drive, Glenfield, was noticed by a local security guard late on Sunday because of its unusual contents.
Police senior sergeant Rod Fraser says it contained an elaborate set-up with wires and an LPG bottle, which appeared to connect with the car's ignition. The navy's bomb squad was called in.
The street was cordoned off between Sunnynook Rd and Croftfield Lane. Late night moviegoers at a nearby cinema were evacuated along with Burger King staff and patrons and nightshift workers at an industrial building.
He says the bomb squad had blown out the back windscreen of the car and were examining the device via a video link, ready to disable parts of it with small explosions, when the car's owner was found.
He explained the system turned water into hydrogen to power the car.
"He was quite happy to explain to the bomb squad and anyone else interested how it worked," Mr Fraser says, but was upset parts of his car had been damaged.
Mr Fraser says the weekend's events in the United Kingdom, where a burning vehicle was rammed into Glasgow airport and police found two car bombs in London, had put them on high alert.
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