Laconia man accused of planting three live pipe bombs under porch of neighbor’s home
By Amy Coveno
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LACONIA, New Hampshire (WMUR) — Police said a man planted live pipe bombs under the porch of his neighbor’s home in Laconia over the weekend.
Tirar Tortorello faces three felony charges of possession of an infernal device.
Laconia Police Chief Matt Canfield said on Sunday, police responded to a home on Oak Street for a report of a suspicious package. Police said doorbell video cameras showed Tortorello placing the package under the porch of a home.
Investigators said a neighbor called police out of suspicion that it was a drug drop, but when officers arrived, they discovered the pipe bombs.
The New Hampshire State Police bomb squad responded to the scene and removed the devices. A shelter-in-place advisory was in place for five hours while a robot was deployed to X-ray the package.
“The device was transported off site to a safe location, where it was detonated and, indeed, identified as explosive and potentially dangerous,” said Police Chief Matt Canfield. “It was further identified as three separate pipe bombs taped together as one unit.”
Police said in court paperwork that Tortorello admitted to placing the package and described the PVC piping inside. But his attorney told a judge Monday that Tortorello did not know the package was a bomb.
Tortorello doesn’t live in the building but had been staying there, and police said this could be a neighbor dispute.
“It was certainly a very potentially dangerous situation,” Canfield said. “We are fortunate that our bomb squad partners with state police were able to render the device safe, and nobody got hurt.”
Tortorello doesn’t live in the building but had been staying there, and police said this could be a neighbor dispute.
“It was certainly a very potentially dangerous situation,” Canfield said. “We are fortunate that our bomb squad partners with state police were able to render the device safe, and nobody got hurt.”
Tortorello’s attorney argued for personal recognizance bail, saying there is no proof his client built the bombs. The judge ordered Tortorello held without bail.
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