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Princeton Police Department
Media Release
On 09-30-2009 at approximately 6:00 a.m. the Princeton Police Department received a call from an employee at the U.S. Post Office of a suspicious package at the back door of their building. While the Princeton Police Department was at that location securing the area, we received another call from the High School. This call took place at approximately 7:28 a.m. High School staff reported finding a suspicious package near the front doors to the high school. While Princeton Police Department responded to secure that location, a third call came in at 7:40 a.m. of another package located at the Public Utilities Commission building.
The three locations were secured and cordoned off. Businesses were evacuated we well as any close neighbors. Princeton Police Department received assistance from the Mille Lacs County Sheriff’s Office, Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office, along with calling out several off-duty Princeton Officers. Fire Departments from Princeton,
Northeast Sherburne, Zimmerman, and Milaca also assisted with traffic and crowd control. Members of the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Federal Postal Inspectors also assisted.
Bomb squads from the St. Paul Police Department and Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office also arrived to assist.
The three devices that were located were secured and buildings were searched with canines to insure there were no additional devices in or around the buildings. The buildings were cleared and then re-opened for business. City streets that had been blocked off for security and traffic purposes were also re-opened. Of these three incidents, there were no detonations, no injuries or property damage.
While investigations were being conducted, we received reports of five separate incidents of chemical reaction devices, commonly referred to as “McGyver bombs.” Five of these devices had been left on the roadway within the city of
Princeton, both on the south and north ends of the city. In these five locations each device was located on the roadway and no items were placed onto private property, buildings or around people. No injuries or property damage occurred. These items consisted of plastic beverage bottles. The remains of these items were collected for evidence and are being tested at this point in time.
The three suspicious packages are being analyzed and tested with results expected later today or tomorrow. These tests will reveal if the items were indeed explosives, incendiary devices or a hoax.
At this time all agencies involved are actively pursuing leads and conducting follow up. There are persons of interest at this time but no suspects.
Updates will be released as information is received.
UPDATE:
10-01-09 at 1530 hrs.
Princeton Police Department was notified by the Public Health Laboratory that they have completed testing of the three suspicious packages from the incidents in
Princeton
MN.
These packages were found to contain only inert powders and were negative for hazardous materials.
UPDATE:
10-02-09 at 0730 hrs.
Late last evening Princeton Police Department took two suspects into custody and they are currently awaiting charges.
Charges stem from their involvement in this incident.
The investigation is still in progress.
Suspect #1 is a 17 yr. old male from
Dalbo
MN.
Suspect #2 is Jeremiah Anthony Moliter
dob: 03-19-91.
Moliter is from
Princeton
MN.
UPDATE:
10-05-09 1220 hrs.
Even though there are two suspect’s in custody, the Princeton Police Department is still actively pursuing leads in this case.
U.S. Postal Inspection Service is also offering a reward of up to $10,000.00 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for placing a suspected explosive device at the Princeton Post Office on September 30, 2009.
If you have any information concerning this incident, please contact the United States Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 or the Princeton Police Department at 763-389-4879.
UPDATE:
10-05-09 1400
hrs.
Even though there are two suspect’s in custody for the chemical reaction devices, the Princeton Police Department is still actively pursuing leads in the three locations where the suspected explosive devices were placed. These locations are the Princeton Post Office,
Princeton
High School and the Public Utilities building.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is offering a reward of up to $10,000.00 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for placing a suspected explosive device at the Princeton Post Office on September 30, 2009.
If you have any information concerning this incident, please contact the Princeton Police Department at 763-389-4879 or the United States Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455.
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Up To $10,000 REWARD
SUSPECTED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE
PRINCETON POST OFFICE
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will pay a reward of
up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for placing a suspected explosive device at the Princeton Post Office, Princeton MN
55371 on September 30, 2009.
TAKE NO ACTION TO APPREHEND THIS PERSON YOURSELF
If you have any information concerning this incident, please contact the United States Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 or the Princeton Police Department at 763-389-4879.
Your information will be kept strictly confidential.
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