Neighbouring residents of a home on Beaver Glen Drive near Brookside Drive were evacuated for two and a half hours on Wednesday while the Niagara Regional Police explosives disposal unit removed and disabled the devices.
Residents of a west Niagara Falls neighourhood say they were disturbed to learn improvised explosive devices were found by police in a home Wednesday.
Several residents spoke to a Niagara Falls Review reporter Thursday morning, as a couple of Niagara Regional Police cruisers remained parked out front of a home on Beaver Glen Drive near Brookside Drive, as part of an ongoing investigation.
The residents agreed to speak to The Review on the condition of anonymity, due to the nature of the incident.
It’s scary. What’s the end goal?” said one resident, adding the neighbourhood is generally quiet and peaceful.
“You’ve got the odd couple houses (with issues) but most everything else is good … The odd car gets broken into, but that (can happen in any neighbourhood).”
The resident said neighbours are “pretty tight.”
Police cruisers on Thursday are parked in front of a home on Beaver Glen Drive near Brookside Drive in Niagara Falls, where explosive devices were discovered the day before.
Everybody looks after each other’s properties and stuff around here — if they go away or whatever,” the resident said.
“You’re like, how does that happen in our neighbourhood? … It’s a crazy world, though, now — nothing shocks me anymore.”
Some nearby homes were evacuated for two and a half hours Wednesday after police were called to a home just before 12:30 p.m. in response to concerns about a suspicious device inside the home, said a media release from the NRP.
During a search, officers found “multiple” devices that were concerning, said the release.
Officers with the NRP explosives unit examined the devices and removed them to a safe distance for further assessment. They determined the devices were improvised explosive devices in varying stages of completion, the release said.
Those officers rendered the devices safe, and at about 3 p.m. residents were allowed to return to their homes, said police.
An investigation is ongoing. There have been no arrests at this time, police said.
Beaver Glen Drive was closed Wednesday between Beaverton Boulevard and Brookside Drive for a police investigation.
Officers remained at the home Thursday.
One resident was just arriving back home from a cottage up north as the street was blocked off at that person’s house.
I pulled in and I said, ‘What the hell? Cop cars all over the place,’” the homeowner said.
The resident walked up to a police officer and asked “do I need to be worried?” The resident said the officer said no.
“Then, I looked down (the street) and I saw the (explosives) robot thing and I said, ‘Well, that doesn’t look right. From there, (police) were here for several more hours.”
The resident was “amazed” to learn of the explosive devices, saying, “It’s not anything that you would ever expect” in such a neighbourhood.
“Generally, it’s very quiet, very protected. There have been some car break- ins and stuff, but other than that, nothing, really.
Another resident who has been living in the neighbourhood for nearly 20 years said such incidences can happen anywhere.
“If the guy is looking to do some damage, I don’t think it’s around here, if that’s what he’s building,” the individual said.
“I’m not worried about the block, I’m worried about the world. It could just be some (person) thinking he could make a bomb and he’s trying it out — who knows what it is.”
Police asked that anyone with information call them at 905-688-4111, option 3, ext. 1009768. Information can be submitted anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or going to CrimeStoppersNiagara.ca.