Palm Springs Pipe Bomb Suspect Arrested

By George Severson

CREATED Jun. 8, 2012

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  • Desert Hot Springs resident taken into federal custody. Video by kmir6.com

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PALM SPRINGS - A Desert Hot Springs man is in federal police custody for suspicion of being connected to the placement of several explosive devices found last month in Palm Springs.

The Palm Springs Police Department, working in collaboration with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Riverside County Sheriff's Department Hazardous Device Team, Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), the Coachella Valley Violent Crime Gang Task Force (CVVCGTF) and Post Release Accountability and Corrections Team (PACT) Task Force, announced Friday that an arrest has been made as a result of an ongoing investigation into the series of destructive devices that were found throughout the City of Palm Springs during May.

Edward Costa, 47, of Desert Hot Springs, was arrested Thursday on a federal charge of possession of an unregistered destructive device, according to a Palm Springs media advisory released early Friday. Costa is currently in Federal custody and is expected to make his initial court appearance Friday afternoon in United District Court in Riverside. 

"During this investigation, members of the Palm Springs Police Department worked tirelessly alongside representatives with several local, county, state and federal agencies", said Palm Springs Police Department Chief Alberto Franz.  "Their collaborative efforts led directly to the identification and arrest of the suspect.  I would like to thank all those involved for their hard work and commitment to keeping our community safe."  

The first explosive device was reported and brought to the Palm Springs Police Department on May 9th around 2 p.m.  A citizen dropped off what was later determined to be a live destructive device or "pipe bomb" at the Palm Springs Police Department.  Several adjacent roadways were closed and access to the lobby of the Department was restricted as a safety precaution while members of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department Hazardous Device Team responded to investigate.  
 
The following day, May 10th, the same subject called to report that he had located another similar object on San Rafael Drive east of Indian Canyon Drive.  Investigators immediately shut down roadways in the area as a precaution.  During the response to that location, investigators found an additional three destructive devices in the immediate area.  
 
On Saturday, May 12th, a citizen located an additional device in the 2700 block of Verona Road in Palm Springs. 
 
A joint investigation being conducted by the ATF, FBI and JTTF remains ongoing.  Anyone with any information regarding the destructive device investigation is asked to contact 1(888)ATF-BOMB (283-2662).