Man disguised bombs to look like teddy bears then left them in the road

The FBI has released a photo of a disturbing teddy bear bomb a man left on a road where children could find it.

Wesley Dallas Ayers, 27, is currently serving 30 years in prison for planting three real bombs and three fakes ones across South Carolina.

One of the bombs went off and injured a man in the leg when he went to investigate.

The bombs were all left in Anderson County during January and February last year.

Around the same time, he planted three hoax bombs along with threatening messages that more powerful devices were to come.

The viable bombs were dangerous and lethal, a judge found, weaponised with shrapnel, concealed in household items, and publicly placed in or near roadways, the Department of Justice said.

Judge Henry Herlong said it was only by the efforts of police and sheer good fortune that more people were not seriously harmed or killed.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The man injured was driving with his daughter when he spotted glowing wicker basket in the middle of the road. The man stopped to examine the package and it exploded, causing minor burns to his leg.

Police investigating found a piece of paper with Arabic writing referencing Osama bin Laden.

A week later on February 4, a bomb-like object was found, placed in a black box with a letter that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and said the community was no longer safe.

On February 15, a bomb placed in a teddy was found.