Authorities are looking for a suspect seen in a black truck
outside Pacific Scientific on Saturday morning shortly before a
security guard discovered a suspicious package, which a bomb squad
blew up as a precaution before realizing it was a hoax.
Suspect in truck sought after bomb hoax at explosives site
Authorities are looking for a suspect seen in a black truck outside Pacific Scientific on Saturday morning shortly before a security guard discovered a suspicious package, which a bomb squad blew up as a precaution before realizing it was a hoax.
A security guard at the small-explosives manufacturer located outside Hollister along Union Road noticed the suspicious package shortly after 8 a.m. on a shoulder of the driveway entrance, said Lt. Roy Iler with the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office. It was about the size of a phone book and was wrapped with duct tape, with no other writings or indications of what might have been inside, according to the sheriff’s office.
The security guard told investigators that a small, black truck had pulled to the side of the road for “some time” before it was left there. When the guard looked up at one point, the truck was gone and the suspicious package was in the road, Iler said. Local authorities thought it looked suspicious and called in mutual-aid help from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad.
That three-person bomb-squad team arrived and used a robot to get close to the package. The camera on the robot showed that “something didn’t look right,” Iler said, so a bomb-squad member put on a protection suit, approached the package and used a hand-held X-ray machine to examine it. The X-ray revealed there were a lot of wires within the package, according to the sheriff’s office.
“They couldn’t tell if it had any explosives or not,” Iler said. “It appeared to them it did not.”
Still, authorities decided to attempt a detonation in case there were explosives inside. They blew up the package at the same spot and determined there were no explosives, Iler said.
There was additional concern due to the operations at Pacific Scientific, 3601 Union Road. The company at the 200,000-square-foot facility is involved in high-volume ordnance devices, electronic and laser systems, laser components and systems, aircrew safety systems and components, and active protection systems, according to its website.
Iler said it helped that the sheriff’s office is familiar with the site and aware that it makes smaller explosives. He noted how the local sheriff’s office gets mutual-aid help from the neighboring bomb squad about twice a year.
“Definitely (there was concern) because we know there is more explosive stuff nearby,” he said.
The California Highway Patrol assisted in closing the road and rerouting traffic for around four hours from the Highway 156 intersection to Riverside Road. A Calfire crew also came to the scene for precaution.
A Pacific Scientific media representative could not be reached immediately before publication.
Shots reported about 20 minutes apart in Hollister
Hollister police responded to two possibly-related cases of shots fired in residential neighborhoods early Saturday morning, while there were no reported injuries.
At 12:20 a.m. Saturday, officers responded to a report of multiple shots fired near the 100 block of Recht Street. When officers arrived on scene, they received another report of shots fired near the 300 block of South Street.
In the second shooting 20 minutes after the first, witnesses described two men in their early 20s on foot with “something” in their hands.
“Witnesses couldn’t tell if they were holding guns or not,” said Sgt. David Westrick with the Hollister Police Department.
The suspects were described as two white males, with one wearing a red beanie and a long, black coat, and the other wearing all dark colors.
At this time, police have no witnesses in the first shooting.
In both cases, officers discovered the use of two firearms. With the vicinity of the crimes within one mile, police are looking into the idea that they are related.
“Detectives are working on it right now,” Westrick said. “They were within 20 minutes of each other. There were two guns in each. We are working to see if they are related.”
Officers have no information on the suspects’ motives, or any identification on the suspects, but the investigation is ongoing, Westrick said.
Small dog put down after pit bull pulls it from owner
On May 2 at approximately 5 p.m., Hollister Police Animal Control officers responded to the 700 block of Shore Road on a report a pit bull attack.
A man was walking his two small dogs on a leash when two pit bulls approached and suddenly attacked his dogs. The pit bulls were able to get hold of one of the dogs, pulling it from his hands, according to police. The man was able to fight off the pit bulls by throwing rocks at the dogs. The pit bulls left the area.
The man checked his dog and found that it was severely injured and nearly deceased. The dog was euthanized shortly thereafter, according to a statement from police.
Animal Control Officers responded, quickly locating the pit bulls and impounding them. The investigation is ongoing.
The latest pit bull attack comes in light of the animal control division’s proposal to require that all of those dogs, and Chihuahuas be spayed or neutered.
Police seek theft suspect caught on surveillance
Hollister police are looking for a suspect in a vehicle theft who has been identified on surveillance, according to a statement.
At 8:35 a.m. April 23, police responded to a theft from a vehicle on Driftwood Court, where it was reported that a backpack containing clothing and a wallet with credit cards was stolen, according to police. Since then, the victim’s credit card had been used in several locations in Hollister, Gilroy and Morgan Hill.
The Hollister Police Department has obtained video surveillance photos from Safeway and other stores at which the suspect attempted to use the victim’s credit cards.
The suspect is described as a Hispanic female adult; 5 feet, four inches tall; 150 to 170 pounds; with hair tied in a ponytail and wearing a gray sweatshirt and eyeglasses. The suspect was possibly driving a mid-sized, white sedan, according to police.
Anyone with information about any of these crimes can call police at 636-4330 or anonymously at (800) 78-CRIME.
