MIDDLETOWN, Pa. (WHTM) -
Middletown police are looking for the person responsible for setting off "bottle bombs" in the Dauphin County borough early Thursday.
Borough spokesman Chris Courogen said officers found five of the homemade devices in the 200 block of N. Union Street at around 5:30 a.m., after a report of what sounded like shots fired or loud explosions.
Four of the bottle bombs had exploded, and a fifth was handled by the Pennsylvania State Police Hazardous Devices Unit, Courogen said.
Three more devices were found about four blocks away, in the 200 block of East Roosevelt, at around 10 a.m. Two had exploded and a third was inactive, Courogen said.
Bottle bombs are typically made from plastic bottles and common household materials that, when mixed, create enough gas pressure to cause the container to explode.
No injuries were reported and no property damage has been determined, but Middletown Police Chief Steven Wheeler said anyone found responsible will face serious charges.
"I am sure we would work with the district attorney to try and find a way to recover the cost of what it took the public safety units to respond to this kind of thing," Wheeler said. "It was tying up police officers who need to be doing real police work, it's costing the taxpayers money, it's putting our officers and first responders at risk, and just causing a disturbance in the neighborhood that citizens don't need."
Police encouraged anyone who discovers such a device to keep away and call 911.
Anyone with information may call Middletown police at (717) 902-0627.
