Thieves may have helped authorities with investigating the bombings in New York City and New Jersey.
According to DNAinfo.com, when Ahmad Khan Rahami allegedly planted two separate bombs in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan Saturday night, and only one detonated, two burglars may have inadvertently aided in disarming the second pressure cooker bomb that was placed in a rolling suitcase on West 27th Street.
NYPD authorities said at a press conference Monday that they are not sure if the two men actually disabled the device but want to talk to them, nevertheless.
“They look like there were two gentlemen just strolling up and down 7th Avenue at the time. We have no idea that would link them to this at all. However, we still want to talk to them, obviously, considering them witnesses right now. Once they picked up the bag, they seemed incredulous,” NYPD chief Robert Boyce told reporters. “They picked it up off the street and walked off with it.”
When asked if the two men who are being considered as witnesses, Chief Boyce said, “It’s difficult to say right now, if they at all inadvertently perhaps even pull a wire. that’s something for us when we talk to them going forward. I can’t say that now because I don’t know if they played a role or not.”
According to DNAinfo, sources told the online media outlet that two well dressed young men, opened the suitcase and removed the bomb, but may have believed it was worthless and put the device into a plastic bag and walked away with the suitcase. Ultimately, investigators told DNAinfo that by removing the pressure cooker from the original bag, the thieves could have disabled the bomb by accident.
Authorities were able to examine the cellphone attached to the unexploded bomb and find out it was tied to the Rahami family. Law enforcement investigated Rahami via social media at that point.