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Milpitas SWAT Team Searches For Possible Explosives Inside Home

MILPITAS (CBS SF) – A man has been detained during a search warrant served at a Milpitas home Tuesday morning for possible explosive devices, police said.

A SWAT team was called to serve the warrant in the 1700 block of View Drive around 8 a.m. based on a police investigation into chemicals that could be used to make explosives, Milpitas police Sgt. Bryan Hinkley said.

The home under investigation and an adjacent residence have been evacuated, Hinkley said.

A shelter-in-place order was issued for 15 other homes in the area, he said.

The investigation began about two to three weeks ago when a concerned neighbor called police to report a strong chemical smell coming from a neighboring home, Hinkley said.

Firefighters and officers who investigated the tip verified the strong scent from one home and found bottles containing chemicals taken in as evidence, according to Hinkley.

Detectives consulted with the Santa Clara County sheriff's bomb squad that confirmed the chemicals could be used to produce explosive devices. They obtained a search warrant that was served Tuesday morning at the home with help from sheriff's deputies and Fremont police officers, Hinkley said.

Officers have already served search warrants at some properties in Fremont connected with the detained man, Hinkley said.

Police are conducting a slow and careful search of the home as a precaution. The search could last for the rest of day and possibly continue into Wednesday, according to the sergeant.

Investigators don't believe the case has any connections to terrorism, Hinkley said.

As of Tuesday morning, no injuries were reported and there was no threat to public safety, he said.

William Burnett Elementary School and Calaveras Hills High School, located a few blocks east of the residence, haven't been affected by the investigation, according to Hinkley.

Motorists can use any streets north of View Drive to drive around the scene, he said.

© Copyright 2016 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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