Crime & Safety
Grosse Pointe Woods, Shores Police Issue Warning on Pop Bottle Bombs
The explosion of pop bottle bombs in a backyard and in a Grosse Pointe Woods residential intersection are under investigation. Residents should call police immediately if a pop bottle bomb is found and should not touch it or go near it due to possible r
Grosse Pointe Woods, Grosse Pointe Shores and Michigan State police are all investigating pop bottle bombs left in three locations overnight. Grosse Pointe Woods Department of Public Safety issued a warning this morning through a community alert asking residents to keep their distance if they find one and to call police immediately.
Woods Detective Sgt. Raymond Yonkowski said the first two bombs were discovered in the intersection of Blairmoor and Van K Drive shortly after midnight. The second set were discovered in the backyard of a home in the 1700 block of Allard shortly before 1 a.m., he said.
The pair in the backyard exploded, which sounded like gunshots, Yonkowski said, prompting the resident to call police reporting shots fired. The bombs exploded close in time but far enough apart that the resident reported hearing two gunshots and said it shook the house, Yonkowski said.
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Michigan State Police were called to the scene of two additional bombs found on an island on Lake Shore Road near Roslyn in Grosse Pointe Shores. Those bombs had not yet exploded, which is why state police are on the scene, Yonkowski said.
At this point, police believe this was michevious act, Yonkowski said, noting pop bottle bomb recipes can be found easily on the internet. A search by Patch early Friday yielded dozens of recipes involving various routine household items.
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Yonkowski said the important thing for residents is to stay away from any bombs they may discover because of the poetential risk of injury either from the shrapnel during the explosion and potentially from the chemicals used to make the bomb. At this point, it would appear drain cleaner was used, he said, which means their is potential for chemical burns.
Residents are asked to stay far away and to call police immediately if they spot one. Additionally, police are looking for information about the suspects and a vehicle that may have been used to drop the bombs, Yonkowski said.
In Grosse Pointe Woods, call 313-343-2400. In Grosse Pointe Shores, call 313-881-5500. Or call 911.
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