According to the Daily News, a 14-year-old suspect was arrested yesterday in connection with the propane tank that was made to look like a bomb and left on retired firefighter Ed Green’s front porch late Tuesday night.

The alleged culprit was collared within hours of police releasing surveillance footage that captured an image of a white man in his 20s casually walking away from the crime scene in the moments after the fake device was left by Green’s door.

The incident took place in the early minutes of Wednesday morning at approximately 12:30 a.m. on 68th Street between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue.

Police charged the boy with placing a false bomb or hazardous substance. Authorities have not released his name because he is a minor.

Local elected officials praised first responders before calling the untimely hoax a “sick joke” and a waste of police resources.

“An arrest has been made in connection to the fake “bomb” left on the doorstep of a retired FDNY 9/11 first-responder on 68th Street,” announced City Councilman Vincent Gentile in a press release yesterday. “I commend the 68 Precinct and their detective squad who worked around the clock and delivered a swift arrest in this case. What may have been a sick joke to this individual was no joking matter at all to law enforcement. I thank everyone that came forward with tips that helped bring this individual to justice.”

“I have just been informed that an arrest has been made of an individual in the Bay Ridge bomb scare that took place Tuesday night on 68th Street,” said State Senator Marty Golden on his senate page. “I commend the 68th Precinct, Commanding Officer Captain DiBlasio, and all the NYPD Detectives assigned to this case, for their work, in making sure that this individual is no longer roaming our streets, causing havoc and wasting police resources.”

[UPDATE] 4/19/13 A suspect has been arrested. Read More Here.

[UPDATE] 4/18/13 Police have released the above video and accompanying photos of a person wanted for questioning about the fake explosive device. The person of interest, seen fleeing the scene of the incident, is described as an adult white male wearing dark clothing. [Via Gothamist].

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS. You can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Website or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES), then entering TIP577.

A fake bomb was apparently left in front of a retired firefighter’s home early Wednesday, drawing scores of police – including bomb squad personnel – to 68th Street between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue.

The Daily News is describing the fake device as an empty propane canister with a garage door opener keypad attached covered in masking tape with wires sticking out.

It was discovered around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday by retired city firefighter Ed Greene just moments after it was left on his front stoop by a prankster who rang the bell before running off.

Greene reportedly called police and then alerted his neighbors.

With NYPD already on high alert after the twin bombings at the Boston Marathon on Monday, police officers and a bomb squad quickly filled the surrounding area.

Families on the block were hurriedly evacuated through their backyards and down the street. After reaching the corner, residents were kept there for two-and-a-half hours until bomb squad officials determined the homemade device was not real.

“Who would do such a stupid thing, if it was a prank?” asked next-door neighbor Barbara Leen, who was among those evacuated. “Why would someone do such a thing? They’re nice, good people.”

The propane tank was the type usually used to sweat pipes, another neighbor told the News.

“It looked like a big can wrapped in masking tape,” said Leen.

In December of 2011, a man was arrested for walking into the 68th precinct stationhouse on 65th Street with a fake explosive device. That device was similarly described by the New York Post as being made out of an empty propane tank.