A Dunedin mother has obtained a confession from her 17-year-old son about his involvement in the throwing of a homemade `bomb' from a moving van in Green Island at the weekend.
A woman was using an ATM in Main South Rd about 4.30pm on Sunday when the explosive device, a 10cm cardboard cylinder wrapped in green insulation tape and filled with an explosive, probably from fireworks, was hurled from a green Toyota Hiace and landed on the path next to her car, Senior Sergeant Steve Aitken said.
The device exploded, terrifying her and her children, aged 7 and 9.
Police initially had no suspects, until a Sunnyvale woman called police after reading the story in the Otago Daily Times yesterday, to say she thought the culprit might be her son.
"He arrived home from work as I was speaking with her, and she rang back to say she had obtained a confession from him," Snr Sgt Aitken said.
The teenager was spoken to by police yesterday and last night two brothers from Green Island, aged 17 and 19, were also helping police with inquiries.
They were likely to be charged with unlawful possession of an explosive device, he said.
The maximum penalty for that charge is three years in prison.
Following publicity about the case, police were able to locate the homemade device.
