Thomas Kaiser of South Plainfield was arrested Monday and charged with second and third degree counts of possessing destructive devices for unlawful purposes.
On Wednesday, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office announced that additional charges were being filed against Kaiser: four counts of possession of a prohibited device in the third degree, and one count of tampering with evidence in the fourth degree.
Authorities also said that their investigation uncovered four additional destructive devices that were located in the vicinity of the parade route. Kaiser disposed of these devices, which were identified by the New Jersey State Police Bomb Squad as homemade destructive devices.
Monday morning the South Plainfield Police Department announced on Facebook that they would be cancelling the South Plainfield Labor Day Parade, an event that both Gov. Phil Murphy and first lady Tammy Murphy were slated to attend, due to “a security concern”.
Later in the day, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office announced that Kaiser had been arrested after evidence collected by the Sea Bright Police Department and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office led to his residence in South Plainfield. Authorities located other destructive devices near his home, which is in the vicinity of the start of the parade.
On Sunday, police began investigating a suspicious package with a destructive device left at Donovan’s Reef in Sea Bright, a popular beach bar. That lead them to a South Plainfield residence, where Kaiser lives with his elderly parents.
NJTV News was told by neighbors and family that investigators and K-9 units arrived around midnight Sunday night. Authorities say they recovered additional devices near this home, which happens to be the starting point for the annual Labor Day Parade.
NJTV News spoke with Kaiser’s brother Monday afternoon, he wouldn’t give his name, but he did give his family’s side of the story.
“My brother was in a bar down in Sea Bright, gave a guy a firework. The individual left the firework and somebody reported it as a bomb. “As far as I know he’s never built anything,” he said. “The Sheriff’s Department was here with the South Plainfield Police Department last night, searched the home with bomb sniffing dogs, searched the garage and his truck. Found nothing. No explosive devices, no materials. Absolutely nothing.”
Law enforcement has been scant with details on the nature of these devices, what they look like, or the type of explosives.
At the same time Kaiser’s brother says he understands the precaution with all the violence and security threats in the world.
Officials say there is no threat to public safety at this time. It’s unclear if the parade will be rescheduled or if residents will have to wait until next year.
*Note: This post has been updated to reflect additional information released by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office
