Australian Toddler Has A Memorable First Encounter With A Vending Machine

The expression 'caught with a hand in the cookie jar', took on a whole new meaning on Sunday, February 28, when a young Australian boy got his hand stuck inside a vending machine. The chain of events leading to the bizarre incident began just after noon, when four-year-old Leo Shorthouse saw a vending machine filled with all kinds of yummy goodies in a hotel lobby in Melbourne, Australia.

Like most kids, Leo rushed over to get himself a treat. The only problem? The young boy who was visiting from Arnhem Land, a remote region in the Northern tip of Australia had never seen a vending machine before. He, therefore, assumed that the treats were free and stuck his hand inside to grab one. Unfortunately, Leo reached in so far that the machine's anti-theft device sensed his hand and trapped it.

Though emergency personnel were immediately summoned, it took the team of twelve experts that included firefighters, police, paramedics and a locksmith, almost six hours to free the young boy. They had to be careful that the angle grinder being used to cut open the vending machine would not injure Leo's hand, which had to be numbed thrice during the ordeal.

Fortunately, the six-hour trauma seems to have left no lasting effect on Leo, who now aspires to be a fireman. Hopefully, the young boy will be more cautious the next time he encounters a vending machine.

Resources: telegraph.co.uk,metro.co.uk, ibtimes.com