A 12-year-old boy was charged Monday in the investigation of a fake explosive device that was found near a Sharpsburg street last week, investigators said.
During an interview, the boy confessed to constructing the device, and to causing damage to a victim’s car by scratching a profanity into the paint of the vehicle, according to a news release from the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office.
First believed to be an undetonated pipe bomb, the device was found by a property owner mowing his lawn in the 200 block of South Mechanic Street on June 21, investigators said.
A bomb squad was called in and a robot was used to make sure the device posed no danger. Authorities determined that the device was made to look like a pipe bomb, but did not have explosive material inside.
No injuries were reported in the incident, and a motive was not determined after speaking with the juvenile, investigators said.
The boy was charged with constructing a phony device and was taken to the Western Maryland Children’s Center, where he was awaiting review by the Department of Juvenile Services.
During an interview, the boy confessed to constructing the device, and to causing damage to a victim’s car by scratching a profanity into the paint of the vehicle, according to a news release from the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office.
First believed to be an undetonated pipe bomb, the device was found by a property owner mowing his lawn in the 200 block of South Mechanic Street on June 21, investigators said.
A bomb squad was called in and a robot was used to make sure the device posed no danger. Authorities determined that the device was made to look like a pipe bomb, but did not have explosive material inside.
No injuries were reported in the incident, and a motive was not determined after speaking with the juvenile, investigators said.
The boy was charged with constructing a phony device and was taken to the Western Maryland Children’s Center, where he was awaiting review by the Department of Juvenile Services.
