‘Viable pipe bomb’ thrown at window of house in NI town

Dozens of families, including the elderly and some with very young children, were evacuated during an overnight pipe bomb attack in Portadown.
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The ‘viable pipe bomb’ was thrown at the window of a house at Glanroy Avenue last night.

DUP Cllr Darryn Causby said many families, some with up to seven children, and the elderly were told to leave their homes while Army Technical Officers dealt with the device.

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“This is a street with a lot of families with loads of children. It is just totally appalling.

Pipe bomb attack in Portadown.Pipe bomb attack in Portadown.
Pipe bomb attack in Portadown.

“Those who left this device have no regard for the Brownstown community and all they have achieved was to cause fear and disruption to the good people in the area! The area was cleared in the early hours of this morning by the PSNI.”

A police spokesperson said: “Detectives are investigating after a viable pipe bomb was thrown at an address in Portadown yesterday evening (Thursday 6 May).”

Detective Inspector Simpson said: “Just after 11pm, it was reported that a suspicious object had been thrown at the front door of a property in the Glanroy Avenue area, subsequently smashing the window.

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“Police and ATO attended and examined the device which has now been made safe and taken away for further investigation.

“Thankfully, there were no reports of any injuries as a result of this reckless attack, carried out in a residential area, with no consideration given to who could have been injured or killed.

“We are working to establish a motive and are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the attack or who may have captured mobile phone or dashcam footage to get in touch.

“If you have information that could help us, please call 101 and quote reference number 2172 of 06/05/21.”

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A report can also be made online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/.

You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart said: “This device has been deemed viable and obviously that means those who left it there knew that by doing so, they placed the local community in danger.

“Such recklessness and disregard for the safety of local residents is an insight into the mind of those involved in this incident.

“I would appeal for anyone with information in relation to this find to contact the PSNI. We need to bring these people to justice, and rid our society of those who place people in danger.”

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SDLP Cllr Eamon McNeill said: “I totally condemn the action that these mindless people carried out to the residents in the Glanroy Avenue area of Portadown.

“This incident is uncalled for. I ask them, what do they hope to achieve from this?. All it does is create tensions, something that is unfair to be landed onto these residents.

“Can I ask for anyone who has any information in relation to this incident to please pass it onto the PSNI. Thanks to all the PSNI and everyone else who was involved in dealing with this incident.”

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