WELD COUNTY, Colo. — The Weld County Sheriff's Office is trying to determine who is responsible for taping firecrackers to a gas meter in an apparent attempt to ignite a live gas line.
Deputies responded to a property in the 200 block of Kelly Lane around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday. This is about one mile northeast of Brighton city limits in unincorporated Weld County.
The homeowner called 911 after he found a backpack on the side of the house. The backpack contained several items he believed had been stolen from his house the night before.
Deputies collected the backpack, which contained several other pieces of evidence including multiple car keys, an ignition tumbler, gloves, some tools and a registration card from a recovered stolen vehicle.
Deputy Nathan Scudder went back to make sure all the evidence had been collected when he noticed something odd about the gas meter on the side of the house.
Upon closer inspection, Scudder realized someone had attached five M-150 firecrackers to a live gas line running to the meter. The firecrackers were taped to the gas line and wrapped in plastic.
There was a full box of matches as well as a pile of unused matches on the ground next to the meter. There also were numerous empty alcohol bottles that were collected as additional evidence. The Weld County Bomb Squad responded as a precaution and took possession of the M-150s for disposal.
Anyone with information regarding this or any other crime is asked to call the Weld County Sheriff’s Office at (970) 356-4015 or Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Tips can also be submitted through the Crime Stoppers website at www.crimeshurt.com. Those submitting tips through Crime Stoppers that lead to the arrest and filing of charges on a suspect(s) may be eligible for a cash reward.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Local stories from 9NEWS