On October 6, at approximately 7:00 PM, Coalinga Police Officers were dispatched to the area of Lucille Avenue and Bordeaux Way regarding a possible pipe bomb hanging from a tree in the median.
Officers located a metal pipe, capped on both ends and wrapped in electrical tape, hanging from a tree. Officers believed this object could be a pipe bomb, and called the Fresno County Bomb Squad for assistance. A member of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Team from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist.
Once the Fresno County Sheriff’s EOD sergeant arrived on scene, they were unable to determine if the device was an explosive device or not. The FSO sergeant decided the Bomb Squad Disposal Unit would be called out. A water jet was used, and it was found the device was not a live pipe bomb but was most likely a ‘Geocaching’ find.
After doing more research officers found there was a Geocache find in that area, and possibly 10 more items similarly disguised.
The Coalinga Police Department is recommending that whoever placed this device and possible others to remove them immediately and find a better way to hide the finds.
Members of the community are encouraged to call the Police Department if they come across strange or suspicious packages. It is always better to be safe.
Those types of hides are against Groundspeak’s policies. (Groundspeak is the company that runs the geocaching site, geocaching.com.) The person who placed that either lied to the reviewer or the reviewer didn’t ask enough questions.