Bomb hoax suspect charged
An Afton man turned himself over to police today, after a pipe bomb hoax situation on Delphine Avenue led to a felony charge.
Authorities in early November rifled through two properties belonging to Mark S. Bales, 58, after the Waynesboro Police Department connected a suspicious package to him, according to a search warrant. Police closed the street Nov. 2 after finding the package.
Virginia state police Special Agent Robert W. Henderson obtained a search warrant and found dozens of items, including grenades, guns, eight computers, jugs filled with black and aluminum powder, four mortar rounds and fireworks, according to the warrant.
Authorities charged Bales with possession of bomb materials in furtherance of a hoax.
Bales remains free on bond, said Sgt. Kelly Walker with the Waynesboro Police Department.
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what is it with people? if the cops and media do their jobs, people complain. if they don’t heed the warnings, like at fort hood, they complain they’re not doing their jobs. dude, get with reality.
I stand by my original assessment…that Mark Bales is just a normal guy who is being demonized by the state police and the local media. A hoax? A joke? Not a Pipe Bomb, but a joke. Computers, guns, black powder. Geez, this is not an urban area…stop trying to create a story out of nothing. Did he threaten someone? Did he have ANYTHING illegal in the two residences searched that supports a real danger or threat. This is absolutely irresponsible and absurd reporting and the state police are way over-reacting. Does the term “police state” ring a bell? When “the average guy” like Mark Bales is this easily publicly painted a terrorist, we are already on the slippery slope, folks. Is anybody in the media questioning the police?
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