South schoolboys find tear gas canister

SOUTH police are still trying to determine the source of a US-made tear gas canister found wra-pped in newspaper along the “jogging path” of the Palmiste Public Park by two schoolboys. Investigators have since sought assistance from officers of the Tactical Section of the Guard and Emergency Branch (GEB) as well as the Fire Services.

According to re-ports, around 2 pm on Thursday March 24, the two schoolboys who attend Canaan Presbyterian School were walking in the park when they saw an object wrapped in newspaper. The curious boys kicked the newspaper, causing the canister which is shaped like a hand grenade to roll out. Not knowing they had found a potentially lethal explosive device, the boys  picked up the canister (which was leaking gas) for a closer inspection.

However, before their curiosity could get the better of them, as a police vehicle happened to be passing by the schoolboys flagged down the officers and handed over the canister to the surprised and perplexed officers PC Andrews and PC Cupid. The boys took the officers to the area where they had found the tear gas canister. Sources said the boys were lucky they did not pull the pin which activates the tear gas canister.

The policemen took the canister to a police station where they handed it over to senior officers. Wri-tten on the canister are the words “Riot Agent CS: Def-tec Corporation, Rock Creek, Ohio USA.” “Right now we trying to find the source. We are trying to find out if this is something used by the local army,” Insp Russel Martin told Newsday.