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A man has been arrested after police said he placed incendiary devices near a local fire station in the suburbs of Washington, D.C.
Slater Chaia of District Heights, Maryland, has been charged with possession of a destructive device and possession of incendiary material with intent to create a destructive device, both felonies, stemming from incidents of littering Capitol Heights Fire Station 805 with what a criminal complaint called “makeshift Molotov cocktails.” He also faces a reckless endangerment charge.
Surveillance video shows him walking up to the fire station’s property with two plastic bottles, and putting both on the ground next to a flagpole. He then moves one of the bottles to the pavement a few feet away from the mailbox, according to the video. He then allegedly retreats back to the flagpole, grabs the second bottle and walks to the mailbox and places it inside.
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He was caught on surveillance footage on Aug. 13 at around 8 a.m., but according to WUSA9, there were two more instances of Chaia placing devices near the station, one on June 1, and another on July 15. Neither of those were caught on video.
Police posted photos of the distinctive Tom and Jerry cartoon-themed Members Only jacket Chaia was wearing in the footage.
The bottles reportedly contained an incendiary liquid and a wick.
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According to NBC 4 Washington, police believe that the fire station was specifically targeted, but they do not know why.
“God forbid one of our young people get ahold of one of these devices and become harmed,” Prince George’s County Bureau of Homeland Security Deputy Chief James McCreary said.
McCreary said the first devices were ineffective, but they were becoming more dangerous.
“The initial devices were inert, but, again, they seem to be progressing,” McCreary said. “The last device we had at this location could have been something, potentially, that would have harmed someone if it was able to be activated.”
Chaia is being held without bond.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is also looking into the matter.
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