Police are investigating several improvised explosive devices that were found in Maplewood over the past week.
Four small explosives made from PVC pipe and debris from a burned Molotov cocktail-like device were discovered by residents in three locations: Four Seasons Park, the 1600 block of County Road C E., and near Demont Avenue E. and Flandrau Street, Maplewood Police Chief Paul Schnell said Wednesday.
Explosives were found twice last week — March 26 and 29 — and again on Monday. They were not targeting a particular person or property, Schnell said, but added that the incidents seem to be connected.
Someone appeared to have tried to detonate the pipe bombs, which must be lighted to explode, he said. None of the explosives were set off.
Nobody has been arrested, but police are following up on several leads.
"First and foremost, we want it to stop, but second, we want to know what the motivation is," Schnell said.
The St. Paul Police Department's bomb squad assisted Maplewood authorities in handling the pipe bombs, Schnell said. Maplewood police also have notified state and federal officials about the explosives.
Schnell asked that anybody who may have information about the pipe bombs to call police or anonymously text the keyword Maplewood and the information to Tip411 (847411).
