Explosive device detonated in Delafield, man gets probation
Benedict Thums
DELAFIELD, Wis. - A Hartland man charged after an explosive device detonated in Delafield last year has been sentenced to three years' probation.
Benedict Thums, 56, pleaded guilty in January to possession of improvised explosives. Four other felonies and one misdemeanor were dismissed as part of a deal with prosecutors.
Police responded on Feb. 2, 2022 after there was an explosion in the woods near Thums' apartment building. An officer said he didn't just hear it – he felt it.
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Explosive device detonated in Delafield
When the officer went to investigate, he said he found Thums setting off an explosive. Dispatch recordings indicate the explosive was an "M80, flashbang-type firework." Police searched Thums' apartment and said they found more explosives.
Residents of the apartment complex told FOX6 News at the time they’d heard strange noises from the woods for years. One resident, who asked not to be identified, said no one ever thought the noises were explosives.