Joke or crime?

Many by now have heard or read about the kid from the Harvard (Ill.) area who delivered an envelope with talcum powder to one of his buddies as an April Fool's joke.

Only it's turning out to be no joke, because the full weight of the law is bearing down on him.

According to this morning's paper, it was "unclear" whether the teen (a minor, so his name is not being released) mailed or delivered the envelope, placing it in his buddy's mailbox. His buddy's brother handled the envelope, noticed "white powder" and called the police.

And the haz-mat team showed up. Did MARV show up?

I mean, when you own all this equipment and have people chomping at the bit for a little exercise, send them out; right?

The sender's nickname was on the letter inside the envelope, indicating it had been sent as a joke.

Is this a case of over-kill by law enforcement? Lt. Andy Zinke of the McHenry County Sheriff's Department was quoted as saying, "In this era of hazardous materials and terrorist threats, these types of calls are always taken seriously."

If this was an April Fool's joke, then the deputies don't need to over-react. If the kid trying to make a joke is 16, what would he really know about the scare a few years ago that resulted when people were worried about Anthrax. Does he even know what Anthrax is?

If it was a joke, let it go. There is no need to threaten him with a crime; not even disorderly conduct. Sure, looking back, it was a stupid thing to do. It doesn't merit a "textbook exercise" in how to address terrorist activity in McHenry County.

Go get the real criminals.