Bomb scare
Police explain mail depot drama
Police have explained why a controlled explosion took place in Bath’s Royal Mail depot.
Specialist officers, an Army bomb disposal unit and police dogs evacuated both Gloucester Road’s Royal Mail sorting office and Bath’s depot on Manvers Street in the early hours of Friday (September 11).
Police cordoned off the area after a “suspicious package” was reportedly sent to the depot on Manvers Street from Bristol.
Witnesses in Bath described hearing a “bang” as a controlled explosion was carried out in Bath that afternoon as a precaution.
Metropolitan Police said the incident was thought to be connected to a case that has seen an international business management student appear in court.
A force spokesperson said: “As part of our investigation into a suspicious package sent to a residential address in Cricklewood, north London, on Thursday, we received information that a similar package may have been in transit at a postal depot in the Avon and Somerset area.”
The spokesperson continued: “Officers from Avon and Somerset police worked with colleagues from Royal Mail to identify the package and as a precaution, a controlled explosion was carried on the package. However, after further enquiries it was identified the package was non-suspicious and was eliminated from our investigation.”
Though experts eventually found the Filton parcel was harmless, a Lithuanian student at Anglia Ruskin University has been accused of involvement in another suspicious package incident.
Ovidijus Margelis, 26, was arrested at his Cambridge home on Saturday, after a package was received by post at a Cricklewood home on Thursday.
Met Police said: “Specialist officers attended and made safe what was assessed to be a small improvised explosive device.”
Margelis appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, charged with three counts of attempting to cause an explosion.
The court heard he is accused of placing improvised explosive devices in packages claimed to contain high-value items ordered via Paypal or Amazon.
The packages allegedly contained a device made to burn through the delivery labels. This would mean they could not be delivered and the vendor would provide a refund.
Margelis has also been charged with fraud by false representation, possession of an article for use in fraud, possession of a false identity document and money laundering.
The defendant did not enter a plea. He has been remanded in custody to appear at the same court on September 28.