Caleb And Daniel Tate: Twins Arrested In Pennsylvania Bombings
Twin brothers Caleb and Daniel Tate, 22, of Cochranville Township, were arrested on Tuesday for detonating explosive devices at different locations throughout two Pennsylvania counties. Although nobody was harmed, authorities confirmed the brothers destroyed several buildings in the process.
According to ABC News, Daniel Tate was attending Pepperdine University in California, and Caleb Tate was a student at Belmont University in Tennessee when they were arrested. Both men were charged with arson by explosion, theft, conspiracy, criminal mischief, and other related offenses.
Authorities said Daniel and Caleb Tate made and detonated the bombs during their winter break between December 20 and 31, 2015.
As stated in the criminal affidavit, the bombs were made from propane canisters, propane torch tips, metal pipes, and other potentially dangerous materials. The damaged properties include a phone shed, a well pump shed, a produce storage shed, a mailbox, and five other locations in Lancaster and Chester counties.
Officials confirmed the first bomb was detonated on December 20. Daniel and Caleb Tate reportedly destroyed mailboxes at 200 S. Friends Meetinghouse Road and a residence in Highland Township, Chester County. Two days later, they blew up a wooden shed in the 1800 block of Faggs Manor Road in Chester County.
Caleb and Daniel Tate reportedly spent their time home from college building bombs https://t.co/BZGmJdhJkW pic.twitter.com/yhuVV5ymiu
— PennLive.com (@PennLive) May 18, 2016
On December 30, the twins reportedly detonated a pipe bomb in a phone shed on 328 Bartville Road located in Colerain Township. Prior to its destruction, the shed was used by Amish families who do not have telephones installed in their homes.
The following day, Caleb and Daniel Tate detonated another bomb in an Amish produce shed on May Post Office Road in Strasburg Township, Lancaster County. They went on to plant another bomb in a well pump shed on 918 Ross Fording Road in West Fallowfield Township in Chester County.
Authorities confirmed all the explosions took place in the early hours of the morning. Thankfully, the structures were unoccupied and nobody was harmed in the incidents. However, authorities were concerned that the attacks would escalate.
In an official statement, Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said, “[W]e live in a world where the thought of bombs exploding around us is a very real fear. These defendants brought that fear to our region during a two-week crime spree where they detonated multiple IEDs.”
The D.A. said despite the fact that no injuries were reported, the incidents are being taken seriously by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pennsylvania State Police.
The District Attorney’s Office said the Caleb and Daniel Tate were identified in a surveillance video, which revealed the twin brothers purchasing and stealing bomb-making materials from several local stores.
As they charged some of the supplies to a card registered in Daniel Tate’s name, he was named a primary suspect. When Daniel’s fingerprints were found at one of the scenes, the authorities’ suspicions were confirmed.
Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Jerry Harper and ATF Special Agent Tim Shelton interviewed Daniel Tate on February 18 at Pepperdine University. According to the affidavit, the young man eventually confessed to “manufacturing and intentionally detonating pipe bomb explosives with his brother Caleb Tate at all of the explosive scenes.” When investigators questioned Caleb the same day at an Oakwood apartment complex in Los Angeles, he also confessed.
White, Christian.
“Twins accused of exploding 5 bombs in Pennsylvania”https://t.co/xXCtzacfGc
— M (@ManikRathee) May 20, 2016
Although the crimes were incredibly dangerous, the investigators reached an agreement with the twins and their attorneys, which allowed them to finish their semesters at college if they surrendered to Pennsylvania authorities when they returned. They were also prohibited from participating in any further criminal activity.
Per the agreement, Caleb and Daniel Tate returned to Pennsylvania after they completed their semesters. Their next hearing is scheduled for June 9.
[Image via SinclairStoryline]
