Never read that before, but wow. Scary to think what people can accomplish at home with a few books and a bit of social engineering. I'm guessing David was/is a fringe case, but regardless, the parent story here shows it's not as difficult as one might think. The spooky part: David's home was a short 40 minute drive from my own home in Ohio. Ack.
http://www.dangerouslaboratories.org/radscout.html