The Abbotsford Police Department (APD) and Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service (AFRS) are investigating two incidents in the last week in which pop bottles have exploded.
Const. Ian MacDonald said in both instances, a chemical reaction had been created in the bottle that caused enough pressure for the bottle to explode.
The first incident took place on Tuesday, May 13 at 9:40 p.m., when residents in the 2000 block of Majestic Crescent reported hearing a loud noise.
Remnants of a plastic two-litre bottle were found on the street.
MacDonald said no one was injured, but the explosion did alarm the neighbourhood.
Two days later, just before 6 p.m., a loud noise was heard in the 2500 block of Minter Street.
MacDonald said a police officer approached a home to investigate the sound and was briefly overcome by the gases released by the "pop bottle bomb" that had been detonated outside.
The officer was treated and is otherwise doing fine.
According to witness Dallas Lachuk, a car drove up and threw the pop bottle at the residence and then drove off.
Abbotsford firefighter Craig Bird said they arrived to find "some sort of explosive device ... in front of a residence."
MacDonald said both incidents occurred in an area of central Abbotsford that had previously been placed on alert due to a series of arsons in mid-April.
A person has since been charged with those fires and is in custody, but MacDonald said residents are again being asked to report suspicious activity and to keep a close eye on their neighbourhoods.
"These incidents are troubling as they clearly demonstrate the potential to not only cause nuisance and mischief but also damage to property and persons," he said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Abbotsford Police Department at 604-859-5225, text 222973 (abbypd) or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.