Explosive Device Thrown Into Western New York Home

The Eden Police Department is investigating a series of criminal mischief cases that started on Hillbrook Drive many months ago.

Several news outlets are reporting this story.

The first incident of these crimes started happening in October 2021 after a report was filed by an Eden resident. The resident said a man came to his house to apparently deliver a message to him that he was disrespectful to someone on the street, and he should apologize. The resident had no idea what the man at his door was talking about, and the guy eventually left the resident’s property in a silver Sedan.

The police were able to identify the unexpected “visitor” as a 52-year-old man from Cheektowaga who happens to have quite a few criminal reports on their record. 

Local police spoke with the identified man and asked him if he showed up at the resident’s home on Hillbrook Dr. in Eden – to which the Cheektowaga man denied.  

A few days later, at approximately 5 am on October 12, an object was thrown through the front door of a home on Hillbrook Dr. – neighbors with the resident who had the initial front door encounter.

There was video surveillance that showed a person exiting a small, dark-colored SUV before throwing an object and then driving away. 

The following week, just before 4 am, that initial resident had an object thrown through the front window of his house, and over the next several months, more objects were thrown into the home, with the latest event happening about a month ago on March 6.

The Eden Town Supervisor Melissa Hartman also happens to live on Hillbrook Drive, but she resides a few houses down from the other resident.

On March 28, Hartman’s house became a target when she had, what police described, as a “simulated explosive device” that was thrown through her front window. 

The explosive device also had several threats written on it, expressing some serious disdain for her campaign to run for Erie County Clerk. The exact phrasing and threats that were used are unknown to the general public at the Eden Police Chief Gregory Savage revealed that he didn’t feel comfortable putting it out into the world exactly what was written, but it did make reference to her political campaign in at least one of the threats.

A suspect or person of interest has not yet been identified, but there is some video surveillance that shows an individual arriving at Hartman's house on foot before throwing the explosive device.

WGRZ Channel 2 was able to obtain some of the surveillance videos, which you can watch below. 

If you have any information on this case, contact Eden Police at (716) 992-9211.

Story Sources: WIVB and WGRZ