"Dangerous" Diaper Causes Bomb Scare

Most parents will already consider a fully fed yet strangely uncomfortable looking baby as volatile an object as a container of nitroglycerin. The slightest of movements and the whole thing could blow. The aftermath of such an explosion can leave everyone involved covered in a nasty biological agent of some kind or another.

But there usually has to be an infant involved for a fully blown diaper emergency to take place. Not so in the German city of Heilbronn, however.

Without a baby's bottom in sight, the southwestern city was thrown into chaos on Thursday after what police later described as an "electronic nappy" caused a major bomb scare in the local post office.

Workers at the Heilbronn branch of Deutsche Post went running for cover when a parcel started ticking suspiciously in the package department.

Police called as post office fears bomb attack

Fearing a bomb attack, the police were called and two squad cars sped to the scene where the officers immediately contacted the sender. The police gave the all-clear after they contacted the woman who told them the intercepted package contained only a malfunctioning diaper.

But why was it ticking? Apparently, the hi-tech nappy was of a kind that reacts to wetness and which alerts the nearest parent to the fact that nature has run its course. But instead of the usual signal, this diaper had begun to omit a more ominous sound.

Wetness sensor ticked not bleeped

"(The postal workers) suspected it was a bomb so they put the package into an empty room and called the police," said a police spokesman. "It was supposed to respond to wetness with bleeping sounds but this one ticked."

Reports that electronic diapers were going to be issued to postal staff in case of future scares were unsubstantiated.