On this day: February 24

Florida man allegedly tried to rob store with an alligator

In February 2020, police say a man in Florida attempted to use a live alligator to intimidate a convenience-store clerk during an alleged robbery; authorities recovered the animal and arrested a suspect. Details about motive and exact sequence vary across reports.

Hijacker Seizes Plane Using Fake Grenade Crafted from Shoelaces and Toothpaste, February 24, 1976

On or around February 24, 1976, a passenger hijacked a commercial airliner after convincing crew the improvised device—a toothpaste tube and tied shoelaces—was a live grenade. Authorities and crew negotiated and subdued the suspect; details of motive and exact date are partially disputed in contemporary reports.

Hijacker Uses Fake Grenade Made from Shoelaces and Toothpaste to Seize Plane, 1976

On 24 February 1976 a man hijacked a commercial airliner using a counterfeit grenade assembled from shoelaces and toothpaste; he demanded diversion and ransom before surrendering. The improvised device and tactics reflected both low-tech ingenuity and the era's security vulnerabilities.