ORIGINAL POST: Details remain sparse – possibly because bomb disposal people don’t like random radio waves – but police and the Walnut Creek Bomb Squad were in the 1700 block of Contra Costa Boulevard early Sunday, perhaps to deal with more of those large pyrotechnic devices which have been rocking the area lately.
Much of the activity seemed to center around a local Chevron station, possibly as officers searched for a specific vehicle in the area.
Pleasant Hill police later said their graveyard shift officers stopped and arrested two subjects who were found to have a homemade destructive device (of unknown type) in their car at the Chevron, 1705 Contra Costa Boulevard. The gas pumps were shut down and the business was closed during the incident, police said. Due to the “volatile nature” of the device, the Walnut Creek PD Bomb Squad responded to the scene to render the device safe.
It was not revealed how this was done.
Police said the person, Mark Nieve, 27, from Antioch was arrested was charged with PC 18710, Possession of destructive devices or explosives. It is a “wobbler” meaning it can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony.
Neighbors may remember a couple of nights back when several loud booms were heard in the area of the AMPM Arco station on Pleasant Hill Road. Officers arrived on the scene as the smoke was still lifting and contacted some individuals believed to have been setting off illegal aerial fireworks.
One person was later placed under arrest and booked into jail on multiple charges.
Fireworks + Gas stations: What could go wrong?
I live close enough to this station that we could have turned off the heater if things went wrong. Between Sun Valley and this, I’m over it with our neighborhood being newsworthy.
Sorry for the unwanted attention out your way, SB… we’re sure it’s just a phase.
I hope you’re right but starting to have doubts.
We’ve been hearing random fireworks sounds for the last few months atleast every other week at random times by the sprouts on geary. Wonder if there’s any relation…
Hey, AN, and we’ve been hearing from folks who have been hearing those pyrotechnics so we’re wondering, too!
News24 — did you get reports about helicopters over WC last night? Some joker is posting false reports on a social media site and people are acting like its funny.
Hey, Dan… yes. We we did and we were lucky enough to have been able to identify them and their origin early on. They can be a distraction.