Vancouver police are investigating after a pair of replica pipe bombs were found in toilets at an overdose prevention site.
Police were called around 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16, after the two objects were found by staff cleaning the toilets at the harm reduction site at Pender and Abbott streets. Staff thought they were imitations and turned them over to police when they arrived.
A bomb technician destroyed the devices.
The suspect is still at large and police are investigating.
The incident follows multiple bomb threat calls to the police in the week prior.
The following day, on Oct. 17, a bomb threat was emailed to a cyber security company located at Homer and Robson streets, according to a press release. Police determined the email was a hoax.
“In the past week, about 110 hours were spent investigating these calls,” says Const. Tania Visintin. “This includes resources from patrol, our emergency response section and our investigative section.”
That said, police take all bomb threats seriously, Visintin adds, and all reports are investigated.
"Pipe bombs are extremely dangerous. They can eject pieces of shrapnel in all directions causing serious injuries or death,” says Visintin. “At a glance, replica pipe bombs can appear very real."
Anyone who finds what they believe to be a pipe bomb should call 911.
