Agoura pipe bomb investigation continues

By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

Two explosive devices were discovered within two weeks of each other in Old Agoura, but according to authorities, no motive has been established and no one has been arrested for the crimes.

In the latest incident, a resident found a pipe bomb Feb. 16 next to an Andy Gump portable toilet. The bomb was placed between two properties in the 5900 block of Fairview Place.

"It was a decent sized pipe bomb," said Detective John Cater of the Los Angeles County bomb squad.

But authorities are still investigating the details and they don’t know who placed it there or why.

A pipe bomb is a rather simple device–usually a length of pipe capped at both ends and filled with an explosive. Sometimes the pipe is packed with nails and screws to increase the damage.

Allegria Henderson, who owns the property on which the pipe bomb was found, said she has no idea why it was put there.

Henderson thinks the perpetrators wanted to blow up the portable lavatory.

Henderson didn’t know the pipe bomb was in her front yard until authorities knocked on her door and asked her to remain in her backyard until it was secured.

Bomb squad experts safely detonated the device, said John Cater of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Bomb Squad.

Authorities say another explosive device, but not a pipe bomb, was found two week ago on West Balkans Drive, which is near Fairview Place.

Both incidents remain under investigation.