Las Vegas Metropolitan Police arrested a man this week who told officers he wanted to steal a jet so he could fly to Area 51 to look at aliens, after he broke through fences at McCarran International Airport in a limo, parked on an aircraft ramp, and made a bomb threat, CNN reported on Friday.
According to the police report cited by the outlet, the suspect was arrested for trespassing, disseminating a hoax substance, and threatening terroristic acts.
Prior to the arrival of the police, the unnamed man wearing a clown mask was reportedly seen driving between numerous planes before stopping next to a parked jet and threatening Atlantic Aviation employees who had tried to stop him.
"I have a f***ing bomb. I'm going to blow this place up," the man shouted, per CNN.
Upon hearing the threat, staff reportedly ran for cover, while the suspect re-entered the automobile and attempted to flee the airport. And when the police arrived, they were able to halt the automobile and capture the man, who told them he was trying to hijack a plane and fly to Area 51 to see aliens, and that he had a gasoline device and shotgun in his car, according to the report.
A full search of the suspect's car followed, and an oxygen tank-like device, a fire extinguisher with heavy-gauge wiring wrapped around it, and a wooden platform that appeared to be a probable explosive device were discovered inside the vehicle.
During the incident, the suspect nearly crashed into numerous planes, disrupted air traffic, and provoked a massive response from Las Vegas police and the FBI, the outlet noted.
Fortunately, when the suspect was removed from the site, fence repairs were completed several hours later.
The Nevada Test and Training Range, which is a unit of the Nellis Air Force Base, is known as Area 51 because of its map classification. It is now used by the US Air Force as an open training range.
It has long been a subject of interest to conspiracy theorists and paranormal aficionados, who claim it is where the US government stores and hides alien bodies and UFOs. In September 2019, a viral "Storm Area 51" event took place in the desert near the area, when thousands of internet users committed to breaking into the top-secret US facility reportedly hiding proof of alien presence, but only a few actually showed up.
So, it seems like the secret agents guarding the government's secrets can sleep well... for now.