The first pipe bomb was found near the corner of Greystone Avenue and Pacific Way on July 3, 2023.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Ben Hutchins

Two improvised bombs recently discovered in Kamloops appear similar to each other, but Kamloops RCMP aren't prepared to say the incidents are connected.

Aberdeen area resident Ben Hutchins said his son's friend found the bomb in a red reusable shopping bag on Greystone Crescent.

"They picked it up and shook it, then this device rolled out," Hutchins said. "I asked him what it felt like when he picked it up. He said it was really heavy and I thought, 'OK, that's a problem.'"

Hutchins took a photo and called police around 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 3, believing it was suspicious and possibly an explosive. It turned out he was correct.

Covered in half black and half grey duct tape, the device was roughly the size of a one-litre bottle and had what looked like a fuse at one end.

READ MORE: Kamloops RCMP confirm second suspicious package was a pipe bomb

Kamloops RCMP cordoned off the street until an explosives team from the Lower Mainland got there the next day to dispose of what police later called a "pipe bomb."

A second bomb was found in the evening of Tuesday, July 4 on Sifton Avenue in the same neighbourhood.

An RCMP officer with the explosive disposal team is scene carrying the pipe bomb from the Sifton Avenue scene in a container on July 5, 2023.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Martin Young

iNFOnews.ca spoke with several neighbours at both scenes who were confused about why an explosive would be on their streets.

The second bomb was found on the edge of the roadway and appeared similar in design to the Greystone Crescent explosive, based on photos from the scene. Kamloops RCMP, however, would not comment when asked about similarities between the two bombs nor whether they were viable.

Hutchins and other neighbours have now warned their young children not to pick up strange items on the ground.

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It's not clear why the explosives were on the side of the road in either case and police haven't ruled out a connection between the two.

Residents were hesitant to speculate as to why explosives would be found along their streets and said there was very little, if any, suspicious traffic. However, they are fairly busy streets with regular bus routes.

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"Establishing any motive that may be involved and how the devices came to be present in those areas is part of the ongoing investigation," Kamloops RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Crystal Evelyn said in an email.

RCMP would not comment on the potential immediate danger if one were denoted, although Hutchins was confident it could not have exploded if the fuse wasn't intentionally lit.

Police have asked residents to reach out if they see anything out of place in their neighbourhoods, and also to provide information that may be related to the investigations.

Anyone with information can contact Kamloops RCMP at 250-828-3000.

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News from © iNFOnews, 2023