Teenage bomb-maker doesn’t pose a threat, police say

Greg Risling

COSTA MESA -- Although four bombs were squirreled away by a

16-year-old boy in his father’s home, police didn’t detain or arrest him

Monday when he came to the main station on Fair Drive with his mother.

Instead, juvenile hall officials will decide whether the teenager

should undergo counseling, be sent to the state’s youth detention

facility or be given probation for constructing several pipe bombs, one

of which was rigged to detonate.

Police don’t dismiss the potential danger posed by handmade bombs, but

they noted there were some signs in this case that the boy merely built

the explosive devices out of curiosity.

“We don’t think there was any intent for a destructive endeavor on his

part,” said Lt. Ron Smith. “There wasn’t any threat on his part to seek

out and hurt people.”

The bombs were discovered Sunday night under a desk in the boy’s room

by his father. The Orange County Bomb Squad was called to the Ponderosa

Lane home and carefully disposed of the explosive devices.

Police couldn’t find the teenager, who is a student at Estancia High

School and was staying with his mother, that day. The parents reportedly

are divorced and his mother lives at another location.

The boy and his mother talked with police Monday for a couple of

hours. The boy was released to his mother’s custody while a decision is

made.

With a spate of violent incidents over the past three years involving

youths, police give great credence -- and rely on good judgment -- when

interviewing possible suspects. They have to determine who poses a

serious threat versus those who are going through a phase.

“You get a pretty good idea when you are interviewing them what they

are capable of doing,” Smith said. “It’s not that uncommon to find kids

messing around with pipe bombs. They want to blow it off like a

firecracker.”

Although four bombs were recovered by authorities, Smith said the

devices had been gathering dust for several months. There was no

indication, he added, the student had a grudge against a teacher or

another student.

Estancia administrators said Tuesday they didn’t know who the student

was nor had they been contacted by police. Students, whose circles

usually buzz with news, also seemed to be unaware of this weekend’s

event.

Smith said after reviewing the case, the department is confident they

made the right decision by not detaining the boy on bomb-making charges.

“I don’t think this is a show on our part of leniency,” Smith said.

“There are many factors that go into our decision and try to make the

determination what is the best process for the [teen] to go through.”