Amherst Police investigating explosive devices

AMHERST — Amherst Police are investigating a pair of explosions in a residential area near the downtown while a third device was detonated early Wednesday in a park.

On Monday, just after 10 p.m., police were called to the area of Rupert and Agnew streets after residents reported a loud explosion that was heard throughout town. Officers responding to the incident found debris from a detonated device on Rupert Street, near the intersection of Agnew Street.

“Our members responded and upon arriving they found debris from a detonated device in that area. No one was hurt and there was no property damage, but they were able to find some debris,” Chief Dwayne Pike said.

Overnight Tuesday, at about 2:40 a.m., a second device was detonated on Agnew Street near the Col. James Layton Ralston Armoury. When officers arrived, they located the third device in the Rotary Centennial Park.

“During the search of the area we found the device that was detonated and another device that wasn’t detonated,” the chief said. “The device that wasn’t detonated was found in the Rotary park.”

Police cordoned off the streets around the park and just before 9 a.m. members of the RCMP forensic identification and explosives disposal units detonated the third device.

“For safety reasons the decision was made by the explosives disposal unit to detonate the device in a controlled way,” Pike said.

Pike said the department’s major crimes unit is continuing its investigation with assistance from the RCMP and the Cumberland County integrated street crime enforcement unit.

Pike said he can’t comment on the devices “because we’re still in the early stages of the investigation."