Sheriff's Message.

The Arapahoe Sheriff has issued a document containing important information regarding the bottle bombs that have been exploded in residential areas of the county. Please look in the Downloads area of the site under General Information for the file named BottleBombs.pdf, or click below to read the details.

Recently there have been several explosions involving Bottle Bombs, also known as Acid Bombs or Dry Ice Bombs, in residential areas patrolled by the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office.

The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad would like to pass along some information we hope will be helpful if you or someone in your family encounters one of these devices.

Know what to look for. A Bottle Bomb, either acid or dry ice, is usually made from a plastic 2-liter bottle; glass bottles have also been used. The bottle usually has a screw on lid. A Bottle Bomb may have a coating of frost on the outside, and the contents could have a cloudy appearance. The bottle may also appear swollen due to the internal build up of pressure from the chemical reaction.

If you encounter one of these devices, use EXTREME CAUTION. Never touch a Bottle Bomb, even if it has not exploded. Any disturbance to the bottle may cause it to explode. Also keep in mind that the weather, either hot or cold, will influence how long it takes for a Bottle Bomb to explode. In one incident where suspects placed multiple dry ice bombs, the last one exploded two hours and forty minutes after placement.

If a Bottle Bomb is encountered, you should immediately call 911 and maintain a safe distance, at least 75-100 feet. The Bomb Squad should be called on these types of devices, exploded or not.

According to Colorado Revised Statute (CRS) 18-12-109, a Bottle Bomb is considered an explosive device and the possession or use of explosive devices is a Class 4 Felony.