OAKLAND — More than 3,000 pounds of illegal fireworks were seized and their suspected owner arrested by Oakland police Tuesday, authorities said Wednesday
The illegal fireworks, which authorities said were primarily commercial grade aerial pyrotechnics and and their launchers weighing 3,420 pounds or 1.71 tons, were seized at a storage facility in San Leandro, not far from the Oakland border. They were turned over to the Alameda County sheriff’s bomb squad.
Police estimated the street value of the fireworks to be more than $50,000.
The seizure and arrest resulted from an investigation done by the police department’s Crime Reduction Team 3, which developed information Tuesday that the suspect was selling illegal fireworks in the city.
The 45-year-old suspect, a Hayward man, was identified and eventually arrested. The fireworks were later seized.
Police are not yet identifying the suspect pending a review of the case by the district attorney’s office.
Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Ray Kelly, who is also a member of the sheriff’s department bomb squad, said the fireworks seized “are considered extremely dangerous explosive devices with a considerable amount of fire power.”
Oakland Chief of Police Anne E. Kirkpatrick said “this is a significant arrest for the city of Oakland. This is $50,000 worth of illegal fireworks that will not cause any injuries or fires. Our officers will continue to identify and cite and or arrest those in possession of illegal fireworks, especially a large cache like this one, so that we can ensure that everyone has a safe Fourth of July.”