The North Bergen Police Department arrested seven Guttenberg juveniles and one teenager from North Bergen two weeks ago for their alleged involvement in creating homemade explosives.
According to Capt. Robert Dowd, there were five incidents over five weeks in which explosives were thrown into streets, onto parked cars, and on one occasion, placed into a mailbox. Dowd said that the teenagers created the explosives by mixing chlorine and a common household substance in an assortment of soda bottles.
Dowd said that they were able to identify the individuals with the help of the Guttenberg Police Department, along with a confession from one of the juveniles.
Seven Guttenberg residents were arrested on Aug. 28, and the North Bergen juvenile was apprehended on Sept. 2.
“They crushed up [chlorine tablets] and they placed the crushed up tablets in a plastic water bottle,” said Dowd. He added that they then filled the bottle with a volatile household substance “and then they cap it off and shake it, and then they throw it.”
Dowd said that a popular website contains videos that explain how to make the amateur explosive.
The juveniles are being charged with possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and criminal mischief, Dowd said. Currently they are at the Hudson County Youth House pending their family court trial.
‘Mythbusters’ showed how
Dowd said that these incidents were a first for the North Bergen Police Department, and when police responded to the first incident, they were unsure of what had happened. The explosive left behind white residue.
One of the first detectives on the scene told his lieutenant he had seen something similar on the Discovery Channel’s show ‘Mythbusters,’ said Dowd.
He said that after making that connection, they browsed the internet for more information.
Meanwhile, the detectives and juvenile officers followed up on leads regarding the teenagers.
When they captured one suspect, they interviewed him with his parents on Aug. 28. He confessed his involvement, along with six of his accomplices, said Dowd.
The other alleged perpetrators were apprehended by 3:15 p.m. that same day, except for the North Bergen resident, who was identified as being involved on Aug. 28. That youth confessed as well, Dowd said.
Dowd said the videos he saw online were disturbing and that the explosive goes off anywhere between 30 seconds to two minutes after being mixed.
“It’s actually a little scary,” said Dowd. “The bottle expands to the point where it actually explodes. There is a large amount of residue, and the more ingredients, the bigger the blast.”
Could suffocate the perpetrators
Dowd said that he was relieved that the Police Department was able to apprehend the juveniles before anyone was hurt.
He said that they had started using water bottles to hold the explosive, but had moved on to large Gatorade and two-liter cola bottles.
“Our concern was obviously that we didn’t want someone getting hurt, not only an innocent person, but one of these kids that were actually involved in it,” said Dowd.
Dowd continued, “Even without the explosion, if you inhale the chlorine vapors it replaces oxygen within your lungs. You could actually suffocate. Kids will be kids, but this is serious business.”
Dowd said that the kids had to carry the two chemicals in separate containers and combine them at the scene of the crimes, or else they would explode.
He said that amount of property damage was unknown at this time because none of the victims have come back to alert the police of what the damage cost.
Cooperating with police
Dowd said that most of the alleged explosive-makers were cooperating with the police, and that they hope to identify any other individual that could have been involved with these events.
He also said that Guttenberg Sgt. Victor Conversano and Officer Anthony Ortiz helped apprehend three of the eight teenagers for their alleged roles.
“Any type of an explosive, no matter how much of an amateur level, is a great concern for safety,” said Dowd. “We’re glad it all worked out.”
Anyone with information on these incidents can contact the North Bergen Police Department at (201) 392-2100.
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