THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, November 21, 1994 TAG: 9411210082
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Short : 48 lines
Residents of nine apartments heeded a police bomb team's caution to evacuate Sunday night after a ``suspect device'' that was emitting a high-pitched, electronic beep was discovered in a courtyard.
A state police bomb team, assisted by city police bomb technicians, detonated the device without incident about 10 p.m.
The device was found near a Virginia Power transformer in the apartment complex off the 1400 block of E. Intruder Circle, just south of Oceana Naval Air Station.
``I could hear it through the open window,'' said Chris Tincler, the resident who first discovered the device and reported it at 7:14 p.m. He said the device appeared to be in two parts ``and was taped pretty thick.''
Tincler was unsure how large the object was. Once he saw the tape and realized it was the source of the loud beeping, he got away from it, he said.
The beeping could be heard for hundred of yards around the rectangular block of apartment houses.
Police and firefighters sealed off the area and advised residents of apartments closest to it to leave their homes or at least stay clear of windows and doors facing the courtyard.
Some residents, especially those with children, went to neighbors' homes. A few waited in their cars. But other residents gathered near police lines to watch all the commotion.
A state police bomb technician, dressed in spacesuit-like protective gear, set a small charge near the device and detonated it from a safe distance. The sharp but small blast scared some residents. A few ran until told all was safe.
A state police spokeswoman said technicians followed routine procedure in using a small explosive charge to blow apart the device.
Because they had not been able to determine with certainty that it was not dangerous, they had to assume that ``it had the potential to cause harm,'' she said.
Authorities refused to discuss the shape, appearance or contents of the device. Such information is routinely withheld to avoid copycat incidents.
Police said that they have no suspects and no threat was received.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 427-0000. by CNB