A chemist from Merck charged with stealing poisonous chemicals from his job

Discussion in 'Merck' started by anonymous, Feb 14, 2018 at 12:15 PM.

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  1. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    A chemist from Warrington stole 219.79 grams of poisonous potassium cyanide from his employer, drugmaker Merck, and dumped it in a Bucks County storm water inlet, police say.

    Richard L. O’Rourke, 60, of Highland Road, was charged Monday with risking catastrophe, theft, receiving stolen property and reckless endangerment, according to court records.

    The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release that one of O’Rourke’s coworkers at Merck in Upper Gwynedd alerted police after he saw O’Rourke steal the chemical in December. O’Rourke was not assigned to handle the chemical.

    Investigators determined O’Rourke intended to use the chemical to kill rodents in his home, authorities say. After learning of the investigation, the man allegedly dumped the potassium cyanide in a storm water inlet between Street and County Line roads near Easton Road and Second Street Pike.

    O’Rourke was released Tuesday from the Montgomery County Correctional Facility after posting 10 percent of $35,000 bail. He is scheduled for a March 6 preliminary hearing before District Judge Suzan Leonard.
     

  2. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    He should be forced to drink every drop of the water he poisoned.
    Another nitwit judge. 35k bail and this scumbag is Home on $3500! ?
    Too many liberal morons masquerading as judges.
     
  3. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    But why in the hell would Merck have this in their lab? Do they develop the death row lethal injection?
    Seems like this incriminates more than one individual.
     
  4. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    Because they are half r*****s. How do you get it out of the building? Then again r*****s can be resourceful.
     
  5. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    It is used in several chemical reactions and for other lab applications

    I think just shows the character of the people left at Merck!

    I bet he got promoted!
     
  6. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    That is over a cup. It could have done some major damage. Sounds like he can move up the ranks and become a VP in no time.
     
  7. anonymous

    anonymous Guest


    This is used for a few quality control tests and not surprising to find it in the lab. I worked in that department for 30 yrs before retiring. What surprises me is how he got it so easily because I recall it being under lock and key requiring it to be signed out and back in after weighing the container both ways to track the amount used.

    I am more shocked at who did it, I would never expect his from him. We were colleagues for a good 15 plus yrs.

    It's a tragic lapse of judgement.
     
  8. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    That type of poison should not be made so readily available. Maybe they need to find some other chemical for these type of experiments. Too many serial killer personalities are fascinated with working in a lab.
     
  9. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    lapse in judgement!!?? WTF are you talking about? The only valid judgement is to put this nut job in jail, and leave him ther for at least 10years.
     
  10. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    I wouldn't call it readily available. Try finding some yourself, it's just about impossible.

    If there was a safer way to to the required testing without it, do you think they would keep it on hand?
     
  11. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    That's so Christian of you.
     
  12. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    Thank you.
     
  13. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    Didn’t this idiot ever hear of DCon? Warfarin? Mouse traps. Too long on the lab inhaling toxic fumes?
     
  14. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    I hope all of you haters are satisfied now....

    " Bury the rag deep in your face for now is thew time for your tears"


    Merck Chemist Charged With Dumping Poison Found Dead: Police
    A Merck chemist charged with dumping poison was found dead from a likely suicide and a "suspicious item" was found at his Warrington home.
    By Kara Seymour, Patch National Staff | Apr 18, 2018 8:14 am ET

    A Bucks County man and senior chemist at a Merck laboratory in Montgomery County who was charged in February with dumping a poisonous chemical into a public stormwater inlet has been found dead at his Warrington home, police confirmed.

    Richard O'Rourke, 60, was found Tuesday evening from what police believe was a self- inflicted gunshot wound. The Bucks County Hazmat team and Bomb Squad were called to the scene on Highland Road due to a "suspicious" item found at his property.

    Police were called to O'Rourke's home shortly before 4 p.m. to check on his well-being. A neighbor called because she hadn't seen him since Sunday and knew he was not happy with his life, Warrington Police said in a statement.

    Police found O'Rourke deceased inside his residence. While exiting the home, police saw a metal box inside the breezeway of the residence with a large padlock securing it. As a precaution, Warrington Police called the Warrington Fire Company, Bucks County Hazmat team, and the Montgomery County Sheriff's Bomb Squad to assist.

    The metal box was scanned and examined by the Hazmat team and Bomb Squad, and sent to Merck for further testing and evaluation. It is not yet known what was in the box.

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    The property was checked and deemed safe by the Bucks County Hazmat team.

    O'Rourke was facing criminal charges in connection with an incident that happened in December. Authorities allege he stole potassium cyanide from the Merck & Co. laboratory in Upper Gwynedd Township where he worked and dumped it into a public stormwater inlet after he knew he was under investigation.

    He was charged with causing or risking catastrophe in connection with the alleged incident, which happened in December. The action caused the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and surrounding water departments to be on "high alert" status, monitoring for signs of the extremely dangerous chemical for two weeks, authorities said.

    He later told authorities he had planned to use the rapidly fatal chemical to kill rodents on his property, but on Dec. 15 illegally dumped it into an inlet in the area of County Line and Street roads, between Easton Road and Second Street Pike, authorities said.

    The PA DEP and the water departments were on "high-alert status" for two weeks due to the incident, authorities said.
     
  15. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    What no comments?
     
  16. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    Well, where is "Mr. gotta have the last word" NOW?
     
  17. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    This is the saddest stories I have ever read related to Merck. It is also an indication of the kind of company that Merck has become. I forgive him and I sincerely hope that he is in a better place now.

    I can easily surmise that Merck let loose on him the vicious attack dogs that are Merck Lawyers of today. It is Merck policy that if you are fired for cause such as this, you give up all your earned pension and medical benefits earned.

    He probably saw himself facing years in prison, and ruination after jail, and death was a preferable choice.

    My sincere condolences to his family and friends.
     
  18. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    This is very sad. I heard of this before but did not see this thread and all the nasty comments. OK, the poor guy made a mistake, but I can imagine that the legal and loss of pension drove him to a desperate act. Very sorry to see this.
     
  19. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    He was a criminal. He dumped poison into a water system. Stupidity drove him to a desperate act.
     
  20. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    Saved public court costs