Suspects Held for Exploding Homemade Bomb Outside Bedford House
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Two New Jersey men were arrested last Saturday for detonating a homemade explosive device in the driveway of a Bedford house of someone with whom they were having a business dispute.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced Tuesday that Damjan Stanivukovic, 52, of Closter, N.J. and 47-year-old Vladamir Radunovic of Pompton Lakes, N.J. were taken into custody in Closter by authorities two days after the Jan. 11 explosion. Bedford police, which ran a joint investigation with the FBI, disclosed that the house is located on McLain Street.
Stanivukovic was identified by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as a contractor and was having a legal dispute with the intended victim.
Last Thursday, the two suspects drove into Westchester County in a black Jeep Grand Cherokee and dropped a destructive device off at the undisclosed victim’s residence where the destructive device exploded at the house, which is near the border with Mount Kisco. Law enforcement recovered a box from the scene, which included Stanivukovic’s name and address, as well as a 2.5-gallon gasoline can, fireworks tubing and fireworks residue.
“Damjan Stanivukovic and Vladamir Radunovic allegedly tried to resolve a contentious business relationship with threats of violence and a homemade bomb,” James Smith, the FBI Assistant Director in Charge, said in a Tuesday statement. “While business deals aren’t always successful, neither are overt acts of violence that bring forth federal charges. Thankfully, in this case, no one was injured. The FBI will continue to ensure that anyone willing to solve personal grievances with threats and attempts of violence are punished to the fullest extent in the criminal justice system.”
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Stanivukovic is the owner of a contracting company and has been involved in a long-running legal dispute with the victim.
Several hours after the explosion, authorities said that at about 12:11 p.m. last Thursday the victim received a text message from a particular phone number, which stated “Knock knock, show up and what do you think is next. This is your final warning,” authorities said.
Around the time that text message was sent, the cellphone associated with that phone number was located in the vicinity of Stanivukovic’s business address and the black Jeep Grand Cherokee, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
A search warrant was executed at Stanivukovic’s home, where Radunovic had been staying. Investigators recovered gasoline canisters and fireworks matching those used to construct the explosive, multiple loaded firearms and a book titled “Make Fireworks and Explosives at Home – The Ultimate Instruction Manual for Beginners and Pyrotechnicians to Build Firecrackers, Fireworks and Explosives from Scratch,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office also stated.
Assisting the FBI’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force and Bedford police, were the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Westchester County Department of Public Safety and the Closter, N.J. Police Department.
“I commend all the agencies involved for their skillful and effective collaboration in bringing this investigation to a swift conclusion,” said Terrance Raynor, the acting commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Public Safety. “This is yet another example of the value and importance of multiagency partnerships, which help us keep Westchester safe.”
Both suspects are charged with one count of unlawful possession of a destructive device, which carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence, and one count of conspiracy to commit stalking, which carries a maximum five-year sentence. The U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to answer whether the investigation is complete or if there could be more charges pending.
Stanivukovic and Radunovic are being held without bail.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/