Courts.
A Warminster man is facing federal charges for allegedly planting and detonating an explosive device that destroyed his former employer’s vehicle in New Jersey this summer, according to court documents.
Michael Patrick Takacs Jr. was charged in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey with transporting an explosive to damage a vehicle, the FBI said. The incident occurred shortly before 3 a.m. on July 26 outside a residence in Delran, where the victim’s Ford Explorer was parked, according to Bucks County Courier Times.
According to the criminal complaint, surveillance footage captured a Jeep Renegade resembling Takacs’ vehicle arriving at the scene. A person was seen placing an object beside the SUV before leaving. Minutes later, authorities allege T
akacs drove past the home again and remotely detonated the device, triggering what the FBI described as a “large explosion” that engulfed the area around the Ford Explorer, according to the report.
Investigators recovered debris from the blast, including a damaged 9-volt battery, two broken antenna parts, and a destroyed “remote fire pyrotechnic device.”
The FBI said the components matched items purchased online in early July through an account in Takacs’ name and shipped to his Warminster address, per the article.
The investigation also revealed Takacs had been terminated from his job in May and, weeks later, allegedly took a screenshot of the victim’s home, according to authorities. Federal agents believe he began planning the attack shortly after his dismissal.
Takacs made his initial court appearance on Aug. 7 and was ordered detained pending trial, according to the Courier Times.
If convicted, each of the four counts carries a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, with fines of up to $250,000. The federal public defender assigned to Takacs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
