Most people who live in La Jolla know the Birdrock neighborhood is a quiet one, it isn't really used to things exploding, but that all changed just before 10 p.m. Thursday night when a neighbors mailbox went "kaboom."
The remnants of the blown up mailbox, along with several pieces of mail, scattered as far as 50 feet.
"We were getting ready for bed, and we were closing up the kitchen when we heard a loud boom, and my husband and I both looked at each other and went, ‘That’s not good.’ It didn’t sound like a firecracker or whatever," said Judy Webb who lives across the street. "We came out, and all the other neighbors were rushing out. That’s where we found all the debris."
Investigators believe a homemade device caused the explosion. Witnesses say they saw two young men running away from the area and getting into a nearby pickup truck.
Now, life on the street is back to normal, children playing, mail being delivered, but people close to the blast haven't forgotten.
"I’d be scared to open up my mail, lose an arm or even die," said neighbor Felipe Loueiro. "Whoever did that has to pay for sure."
If the explosion was a prank, neighbors aren't laughing and neither are the police.
Investigators said people think these things are just a harmless prank, but the explosion could have killed someone or caused serious damage.
Detectives say the suspects face felony charges.
