Explosions and bomb threats investigated across Leiden, Sassenheim, and Voorhout

Authorities are investigating a series of explosions and the discovery of an explosive device in three Dutch towns over consecutive nights, raising concerns about public safety. Police have linked the incidents in Leiden, Sassenheim, and Voorhout, and are calling for witnesses to come forward.

The first explosion occurred shortly after midnight on Saturday, Dec. 21, at a house on Schubertlaan in Leiden. The blast caused significant damage to the property.

Less than 24 hours later, in the early hours of Sunday, Dec. 22, another explosion rocked a multi-tenant business complex on Rijksstraatweg in Sassenheim.

On Monday night, Dec. 23, an unexploded device was discovered outside a home on Narcis in Voorhout. The Explosives Ordnance Disposal Service (EOD) was dispatched to the scene to safely neutralize the device. No one was inside the house at the time. To ensure public safety, 12 nearby homes were temporarily evacuated.

In response to the incidents, Mayor Carla Breuer of Teylingen, which includes Sassenheim and Voorhout, ordered the closure of the affected business complex and two nearby homes for two weeks, citing potential threats. On Monday night, hours before the explosive was found in Voorhout, the mayor had already taken precautionary steps by imposing visible and covert security measures.

“Cameras will be installed at all three locations,” Breuer said Tuesday afternoon. “We are taking all necessary visible and invisible precautions. I find it terrible what has happened, and I can imagine the residents and neighbors are shocked. I am in close contact with the police and the Public Prosecution Service, and we will do everything we can to minimize risks.”

The deputy mayor of Leiden also announced that the house on Schubertlaan will remain closed for at least two weeks.