Man With Clock Creates Bomb Scare on NJ Bus

Marlboro, NJ - A NJ Transit bus rider returning home from Israel, holding a clock, alarmed fellow bus riders Thursday morning, sparking a bomb squad investigation and backing up traffic for hours along Rt. 9 in and around Marlboro Township.

At 8:30 a.m., Bus #67, which was headed from Newark to Lakewood, was stopped by Marlboro police, according to NJ Transit police. Passengers on the bus saw the man holding the clock and became suspicious. They alerted the driver, who called police.

Marlboro police stopped the bus at Route 9 south at County Road 520 (Newman’s Springs Road/Robertsville Road) Rt. 9 was closed in both directions for more than an hour as a result of the investigation.

The 15 passengers on board were interviewed by police, and the man said he used the clock to keep track of time. New Jersey Transit State Police also responded to the scene, and a bomb squad checked over the clock and determined that it didn’t pose any threat. New Jersey Transit Police Department’s K-9 unit also responded.

Rt. 9 re-opened in both directions by 10:30 a.m. However, there were still lingering traffic delays afterwards.

NJ State Police praised the citizens who reported the clock. NJ State Police wrote on their Facebook page Thursday morning: “Was it a good or a bad call? Without a doubt, this was a good call. News agencies reported that a neighbor of Farook failed to report suspicious activity she noticed before that tragic attack in San Bernadino. THE CALL FROM THIS BUS IS THE WAY IT’S SUPPOSED TO WORK. IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING!”

Stock image. By Carly Baldwin/Tom Davis