S.F. Police Investigating Starbucks Bomb

Tuesday, January 10, 2006; 2:10 PM

SAN FRANCISCO — Police say they are pursuing leads in their search for the person who put a bomb in the bathroom of a Starbucks, forcing the evacuation of about 100 people from a four-block area. No one was injured.

The device, which was found around 1:15 p.m. Monday, was disabled an hour later. Residents were allowed back into the building and police reopened the street around the store.

San Francisco police officers Dermot Dorgan, left, and Patrick Robinson, right, stand guard outside a Starbucks store as investigators search the interior after an explosive device was found in the store’s bathroom in San Francisco, Monday, Jan. 9, 2006. No one was injured, according to a statement from the company. Starbucks said the police disabled the device and later declared the area safe. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) (Eric Risberg – AP)

“This was a good device. If it had exploded, it would have caused injuries or damage,” said Sgt. Neville Gittens.

He would not disclose the size or type of device, or its potential explosive capacity. But he added, “we have some very active leads that we’re following up.”

Gittens said no one phoned in a bomb threat or took responsibility for the bomb.

Seattle-based Starbucks declined to give details.

In 2003, police said the windows of 17 Starbucks stores were clouded with glue and some of their door locks were jammed. Vandals also posted phony notices purporting to be from Starbucks management announcing the company’s intention to abandon some of their San Francisco stores to make room for more locally owned coffee houses