Jonathan Keim
SANTA CLARA COUNTY — According to Santa Clara Sheriff’s Sergeant Richard Glennon,”On December 14, 2016, at approximately 09:31am, the Valley Transit Authority (VTA) received a bomb threat.” It was later reported that a San Jose resident, Jonathan Keim, had called the VTA along with various media outlets about his intentions to blow up a public transit bus. During his rant, Keim had also threatened various public officials.
Santa Clara Sheriff’s Sergeant Richard Glennon said, “The Sheriff’s Office Transit Patrol immediately began a large-scale criminal investigation/search.” Within a two hour window, investigators were able to locate and arrest Keim for making a false bomb threat. The Sheriff’s office located Keim at a fast food restaurant.
“No explosive devices or material were located on his person upon arrest,” Glennon said. There was no evidence of a bomb or bomb-making materials located in the immediate area.
A Sheriff’s K9 was used to help try and detect if there was any possible explosive materials on site. During the search for the suspect, the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office searched various VTA properties and the area immediate area of where Keim’s was arrested.
Through a tireless search of the area, no explosive devices were located. During the search the Sheriff’s Office was able to utilize the VTA’s system-wide security cameras to review any possible activity by the suspect.
The arrest comes a day after the Milpitas Police Department served a search warrant at a home that had been under investigation after Milpitas Police and Fire Departments responded to a report of a strong chemical smell coming from a nearby residence.
According to Sergeant Bryan Hinkley with the Milpitas Police Department, “On November 25, 2016, officers from the Milpitas Police Department and Milpitas Fire Department personnel responded to a suspicious odor coming from a residence at the 1700 block of View Drive in Milpitas.”
Investigating officers again responded to the residence this time armed with multiple search warrants. Again, the Milpitas Police and Fire Department were able to detect a strong chemical smell coming from several small plastic containers used to store an unknown cocktail of chemicals.
“On Tuesday, December 13, 2016, at approximately 8:58 A.M., the Milpitas SWAT team served a search warrant at the View Drive residence,”Hinkley said. “As an extreme precaution, homes immediately next to the residence on View Drive were evacuated and a shelter in place was requested for all residents on View Drive.”
It was also determined that the resident had a second storage site requiring that a second search warrant be served.
An ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Milpitas Police Department along with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad. It was determined the chemicals contained on the property posed a serious threat.
No arrests have been made in this case as the investigation is still ongoing. The Milpitas Police Department is asking that anyone with information regarding this investigation call the Milpitas Police Department at (408) 586-2400. Information can be given anonymously by calling the Crime Tip Hotline at (408) 586-2500 or via the Milpitas Police Department website at: http://www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov/crimetip.
