Two members of the RCMP’s Lower Mainland-based bomb squad were flown to this region Tuesday to disable an explosive device in a newspaper tube in the Whiskey Creek-Hilliers are of the Alberni Highway.
Oceanside RCMP say they received a call Tuesday morning from a resident who heard a bang Monday night but did not investigate.
“Upon attendance, members learned that an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) had detonated sometime overnight and damaged a plastic newspaper box,” said a news release from the Oceanside RCMP.
RCMP did not provide many details, but talk at the Whiskey Creek Store on Tuesday morning suggested the device was a two-litre pop bottle.
Police later confirmed the device did use parts of a plastic pop bottle.
RCMP said its members at scene took photographs of the IED and immediately forwarded them to the bomb squad, formally known as the Explosives Disposal Unit (EDU).
“After examination of the photographs, EDU concluded that the IED had partially detonated, and should be deemed unstable,” said the news release. “Two EDU members flew in from Lower Mainland and safely disabled the IED before handing it over to the Oceanside RCMP for a forensic examination.”
“The property is located in a rural area and the residents are not known to police,” said Oceanside RCMP Cpl. Jesse Foreman. “The motivation of the suspect(s) who placed the IED in the mailbox is unknown. We are treating this incident very seriously as it put members of the public and the RCMP in a dangerous situation. We intend on finding out who placed it (IED) and why.”
Police are asking anyone who may have information about this incident to call the Oceanside RCMP at 250-248-6111 or report anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.