Twelve makeshift explosive devices discovered on high-voltage power lines in eastern Saxony
Police in eastern Saxony have found and defused twelve homemade explosive devices on power transmission lines. Power supply remained unaffected.
Explosive devices on Lusatian power lines defused – investigation into sabotage
Police in eastern Saxony have secured and rendered harmless a total of twelve explosive devices, according to welt.de. The devices were positioned in such a way that they were intended to cause damage to high-voltage power lines through a short circuit. According to the security authorities, these were "homemade" explosive devices that were defused by specialists from the state criminal police office.
"No actual damage or disruption to power supply occurred. There is no danger to the population," the authorities stated.
Investigators found the devices in the area of high-voltage power lines south of the Bärwalde substation near Lippen and east of the Graustein substation near Schleife. Both locations are in the Lusatian brown coal region near the border with Brandenburg. An investigation has been opened on suspicion of causing an explosion involving explosive devices in conjunction with attempted disruption of public utilities and attempted unconstitutional sabotage.
The trigger for the larger police operation on Friday was "cross-agency information" as well as a tip from an alert citizen. Police and the public prosecutor's office in Dresden are currently examining a possible connection to similar incidents in Brandenburg and North Rhine-Westphalia. "The Saxon prosecution and security authorities are in close coordination with the affected states," it was stated.
The operation is ongoing. As a precaution, electrical infrastructure is being further searched. Investigators are asking the public for information: anyone who has observed suspicious persons or vehicles in the area of high-voltage power lines is urged to come forward. Photographic and video material is of particular interest. "Such recordings can provide important findings and substantially support the investigative work," the authorities said.
Source: Google News DE — Crime (de)