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Deputies: Someone's putting bombs in mailboxes

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GRATIS TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Authorities are investigating a number of incidents involving mailbox explosives in Preble County.

According to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad, officers have responded to several reports of explosive devices constructed out of household items like Coca-Cola bottles being found in residents’ mailboxes.

Homeowner Bruce Cotting is one of the residents whose mailbox was found to be holding one of the explosives.

“They told me there was a suspected explosive device in my mailbox, and that they were here until they were going to disarm it,” he told WCPO.

BCSO Bomb Squad Commander Mike Grimes said the explosives contain an acidic substance that — in addition to the risk of fragmentation injury — would burn the skin and get into any cuts that might be there.

While the Preble County Sheriff’s Office is doing the footwork, the technical side is being left to their counterparts in Butler County.

“We’ll do some forensic testing on these and try to get some fingerprints, see if there’s any DNA on them, and try to help Preble County identify the individuals responsible,” Grimes said.

Deputies are still investigating. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, at 513-424-2456, or the Preble County Sheriff’s Office, at 937-456-6301.