A routine welfare call from concerned residents in an Adelaide suburb escalated dramatically this week, culminating in the arrest of a man allegedly in possession of homemade explosive devices.
From Concern to Criminal Charges
The incident unfolded on Harcourt Avenue in the inner-south suburb of Clovelly Park. Passersby first noticed a man sleeping inside a blue Nissan Pulsar shortly before 1:30 pm on Tuesday. Their concern grew as he remained there for several hours, prompting a call to emergency services for a welfare check around 5:15 pm.
What began as a standard check by paramedics swiftly transformed into a serious police matter. Officers attending the scene allegedly discovered two homemade explosive devices, a knife, and methamphetamine inside the vehicle.
Specialist Bomb Unit Deployment
The discovery triggered an immediate response from specialist officers. The Bomb Response Unit was dispatched to the scene to safely seize the explosives. The 39-year-old man was arrested at the location.
He faced Christies Beach Magistrates Court on Wednesday, where he was denied bail. The man has been formally charged with possessing an explosive device in a public place and carrying an offensive weapon. Police also issued him a drug diversion for possession of illicit drugs.
Even as the suspect spent Christmas Eve behind bars, his blue Nissan remained parked on Harcourt Avenue, where unusual items including a jerry can and gas cylinder were visible through the windows.
Unrelated Arrest on Same Day
In a separate and unrelated incident elsewhere in Adelaide on the same Tuesday, police arrested another man. Detectives searching a property in the Adelaide Plains took a 37-year-old man from Dublin into custody.
He was charged with a series of serious offences, including:
- Possessing a firearm without a licence
- Possessing an unregistered firearm
- Possessing prohibited weapons
- Trafficking in a commercial quantity of a controlled drug
He was also denied bail and was scheduled to appear at Elizabeth Magistrates Court on December 24.
Authorities have confirmed that the two arrests were not connected, marking a significant day for police operations in the Adelaide region.
