1 In Custody In Connection With Monaca Suspicious Device
MONACA (KDKA) – One person has been taken into custody after two suspicious devices were found at a Beaver County apartment complex this week.
During a press conference Thursday, police said the device they found had the capabilities of exploding.
Police also believe more people could be involved.
Robert Tilly, 60, is facing charges of possessing weapons of mass destruction and risking a catastrophe.
Police said Tilly caused the evacuation of some residents at the Spring Run Apartments Wednesday after an explosive device turned up at a maintenance garage.
"The device was wrapped. The three cylinders were wrapped with a fuse. The fuse then protruded from one of the cylinders," Monaca Police Chief William Petures said.
Tilly allegedly told police he was cleaning out his car when he found the device, giving it to a Patrick Reed at a maintenance garage at the apartment complex and told him to throw it in the dumpster, according to court papers. But there may be more to the story.
"We believe others are involved and we're investigating that at this point," Chief Petures said.
Tilly, who lives in an apartment on Pennsylvania Avenue in Monaca, has not been charged in connection to a similar incident Monday.
Police and the Bomb Squad were called to the same apartment complex after a child found a pipe bomb in a grassy area.
Nancy Thiel, lives at Spring Run and said the suspect used to be a mechanic and was surprised by his arrest.
"I'm shocked that I know who he is. And I can't believe he would do something like this," Nancy Thiel said.
"We want you to know and we want the people of Monaca to know that we are not going to tolerate this type of activity," Chief Petures said.
Tilly's bail was set for $100,000.
His preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 16.
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