Police found an abandoned suitcase containing 48 bottles of a highly flammable liquid which can be used to make bombs on a street in Croydon this afternoon.
Following a report from a member of the public, officers attended Elmers Road, Woodside, where they found the suspicious holdall.
The suitcase contained 48 bottles of acetone, a liquid known for its extreme flammability, which is commonly used as nail polish remover.
In its oxidised form, acetone peroxide, it is highly explosive and has a history of being used in suicide bomb attacks.
Terrorists used the substance in the 7/7 London bombings, where four suicide attackers killed 52 people and injured more than 700.
It was also used in the Manchester Arena bombing in June 2017.
A police spokesperson said: "Following a report from a member of public, officers attended Elmers Road in Croydon to reports of a suspicious abandoned suitcase.
"Officers attended & recovered 48 bottles of acetone from within that could have been used by someone for the wrong reason."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel