POSSIBLE PIPE BOMB FOUND

Photos by: BRIAN WOODS
Elyria – Let’s say that you are a landscaper. While working on a lawn at the Tiffin University on North Abbe Road you find a suspicious looking foot long pipe in the grass. Do you A. Pick up the pipe and throw it out of your way. B. Run it over with the lawnmower. C. Call the cops.

Well, Saturday afternoon a landscaper was faced with that very decision. He first chose A then after a few minutes went with C.

Police were called to 1230 N. Abbe Road, Tiffin University, after the landscaper grew suspicious of the pipe that he described as about a foot long piece of copper with a wax seal on one end and metal shavings on the other. Police and Firefighters first arrived on scene and after a quick peek they had the Lorain County Bomb Squad respond to the scene.

As a precaution Police closed down North Abbe Road between the north entrance of Lorain County Community College and the Sheffield Village border.

A robot operated by the Lorain County Bomb Squad was deployed to pick up the pipe while members watched a video feed from the robot on a TV monitor at their truck.

The robot was able to successfully pick up the pipe on the first try and returned it to the truck where it was safely placed in a special container for transport.

Police escorted the Bomb Squad to special location where authorities blew up the pipe.

Authorities are not sure if the pipe was indeed a bomb or just a harmless piece of pipe. Police say it was better to proceed assuming that it was real and dangerous.

North Abbe Road was reopened within an hour.

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