Middle-Finland Police have warned of video sharing platform TikTok about a new trend that includes the detonation of homemade bottle bombs.
The trend favored by Finnish teenagers has led to numerous injuries and property damage. The bombs are made by pouring a mixture of reactive chemicals into a plastic bottle, which eventually triggers an explosion. According to police, the materials used to make the bomb are readily available.
The bottles are placed in different places such as mailboxes, backyards and drains. The next explosion will be saved and downloaded to TikTok. Detective Sergeant Mikko Pitkänen said Iltalehti says one bomb was even detonated in the sandbox of a kindergarten playground.
Although no one was injured in the blast, it caused extensive damage and the sand had to be replaced completely. Pitkänen shows that this is one example of the high cost of a prank.
There have been several cases where teenagers have been injured in handling dangerous substances used in the manufacture of a bomb. Pitkänen believes that it is only lucky that the explosions have not injured passers-by so far.
The bottle bomb seems to be particularly common in Pirkanmaa and Central Finland. Although it first started two years ago, its popularity has risen in recent months. Police have since registered several reports of bomb damage to property in the area.
Tahira Sequeira
Helsinki Times