WARNING ISSUED RE: TRANSPORTING POSSIBLE EXPLOSIVES

(BEL AIR, MD) – Maryland State Police and the Office of the State Fire Marshal are using an incident last night in Harford County to remind citizens not to move suspicious packages or items they suspect may be explosives, but to instead call authorities and have experts respond to the scene.

At about 9:00 p.m. yesterday, two concerned citizens drove to the State Police Bel Air Barrack and told the duty officer they had several items in their truck they believed may be pipe bombs. The man said he was helping a friend remove items from her farm when he found a camouflage bag in a barn that contained four tubes about two inches in diameter and five inches long that contained some type of powder. He said he found detonation cord with the tubes.

Based on the unknown and potentially explosive nature of the items, troopers felt it was necessary to secure the area until experts had examined the tubes. Troopers closed Rt. 1 in both directions and traffic was diverted around the area.

An explosives expert from the Office of the State Fire Marshal Bomb Squad responded and examined the tubes. It was determined the tubes were not pipe bombs.

Citizens are reminded that when finding something suspicious that may be explosive, they should move out of the area and call 911 immediately. The appropriate law enforcement and fire department resources will be dispatched to the location and will implement the proper procedures for checking the device or substance and determining if it is safe. It is very dangerous to move potentially explosive materials, especially something that may be a bomb. In addition to the immediate risk to the person moving the device, the potential danger simply moves to the location where the person is transporting the item, as occurred last night.