THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 11, 1995 TAG: 9508110226
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JON FRANK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS LENGTH: Short : 45 lines
A Navy man missing from his Florida-based ship was arrested Thursday at an apartment complex where authorities later confiscated eight concussion grenades found in his car.
The grenades were part of 50 that had been reported stolen from Mayport Naval Station in Florida on Aug. 7, authorities said. The grenades had no detonation devices but were still dangerous.
The sailor, 24-year-old Petty Officer 2nd Class Jeremy W. Alexander, was taken into custody by agents of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, said Bobby Kipper of the Newport News Police Department. He had been reported absent without leave from the destroyer Spruance on Monday.
The concussion grenades were part of the destroyer's stockpile of weapons. They were designed to be used against enemy swimmers and small boats.
Each grenade has the explosive power equivalent to one-half pound of TNT, a Navy spokesman said. They are, however, less effective when detonated on land, the spokesman explained.
Alexander was tracked to Newport News by Navy investigators. Late Thursday morning, a tactical response squad of the Newport News Police Department and the Newport News Fire Department were called to the Woodsong Apartments at 5521 Marshall Ave. to assist agents with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
``It was suspected that he may have been in possession of weapons,'' Kipper said. ``That was the reason why the (tactical) team was called out.''
After obtaining permission from Alexander to search his vehicle, Newport News police bomb squad personnel discovered the eight MKIII-A2 inert concussion grenades.
Alexander was arrested without incident, Kipper said. Police believe he came to Newport News to visit friends.
The investigation into the location of the other grenades is continuing, the Navy said. Alexander will face military charges.
KEYWORDS: ARREST EXPLOSIVES by CNB