Police search for suspects

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, March 29, 2006

By Joseph Marks and Kari Lucin, staff writers

Police continued to search this morning for suspects in two confirmed explosions inside the city. Police believe the two incidents may be related but have no confirmed suspects at this time, said Police Chief Dwaine Winkels.

Remains from what police call an improvised explosive device were discovered Saturday morning inside a blown-up port-a-potty by workers on the construction site of the new office building for Zogg Dermatology behind Hy-Vee. It apparently exploded Friday night. A separate, unexploded IED was found near the scene, giving police a better sense of how the device was composed, according to police.

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The second explosive was composed entirely of sodium metal, an explosive chemical that reacts to water, according to Winkels. It was discovered blazing Monday night in a snow bank behind a home at 515 Triangle Drive. When property owner Jim Ford attempted to sweep the device into an ashtray, he said, it exploded, spraying snow and other residue more than 30 feet and damaging his back fence with white residue. Ford was uninjured in the explosion.

Ford claimed another homemade explosive was detonated in his front yard Sunday evening. That explosion has not been confirmed by police.

Police said they suspect these explosions may be linked to a series of explosions in the county inside mailboxes over the past several months.

&8220;This is a very dangerous situation,&8221; said Lt. Phil Bartusek. &8220;If citizens should see any material like this, they should notify the police immediately and evacuate at least 300 feet from the device.&8221;

Albert Lea schools did their part by sending notes home with elementary students Tuesday, warning them to watch for suspicious-looking items and reminding them to report such objects immediately &8220;and to not investigate or touch&8221; them.

&8220;We need to be careful what’s going on and what you’re playing with,&8221; said Principal Del Stein of Halverson Elementary School. &8220;It’s just a safety thing.&8221;

Halverson’s note emphasized that there has been no indication that schools or students are targets.

&8220;It’s just as a precautionary thing,&8221; said Jean Jordan, principal of Lakeview Elementary.

(Contact Joseph Marks at joseph.marks@albertleatribune.com or at 379-3435.)