Seven Highlands Ranch boys, ages 14 to 15, will probably be charged as juveniles with possession and use of an explosive or incendiary device, a Class 3 felony, after officials Friday seized three acid bombs that they allegedly built.
Cocha Heyden, spokeswoman for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, said deputies went to the Spring Gulch Park greenbelt area behind the 1900 block of Crystal Peak in Highlands Ranch at about 6:30 p.m. Friday after receiving reports of kids setting off pipe bombs.
Heyden said that the deputies discovered the teenagers setting off acid bombs not pipe bombs.
They found three bombs, including one that was leaking.
The Douglas County Bomb Team and Hazmat Team were called, and a Hazmat technician collected the devices as evidence.
Sheriff Dave Weaver said that although no one was hurt, homemade acid bombs can cause serious injuries.
Weaver said the acid bombs can be especially dangerous for unsuspecting citizens taking a walk and spotting what they believe is trash and then are injured “while trying to clean up their neighborhood.”
“If a citizen ever comes upon some sort of device, whether it is plastic, glass or metal, and it is of a suspicious nature, do not touch it,” said the sheriff. “Call local law enforcement right away.”
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
