BY DAVE CHOATE

Goffstown and state police responded to a bomb call the morning of Sunday, Aug. 26, and safely detonated a device found in a mailbox.

Al Baines of Catamont Road discovered a roughly 6- to 7-inch tube with electrical tape serving as a detonator inside his mailbox before 6 a.m. on Sunday.

He called the Goffstown Police Department, which responded before bringing in fire crews and a state bomb squad member. The device was blown apart with no explosion by a high pressure water device.

Baines said he thought the device’s placement was random.

“I think it was just about somebody blowing up a mailbox. I’m not concerned, and I don’t have any reason to believe I’m a target,” he said.

Goffstown Police Capt. Michael Sullivan said the department is currently investigating the case and said residents don’t need to be alarmed by the situation.

Baines said he had reason to believe the device was planted in his mailbox Saturday night.

The device was resting on top of his mail, which he said typically arrives between 1 and 2 p.m. on Saturdays. The electrical tape designed to act as a fuse for the device was partially chopped off by the mailbox’s cover, Baines said.

Baines said the whole ordeal took about three and a half hours from start to finish and lauded the police and fire crews for their professionalism. Though he said he’s still not really concerned by the device, Baines said he’ll be a bit slower when checking his mail for a bit.

“I’m probably going to be more cautious about opening my mailbox for a while,” he said.