Montauk map
© Google Maps
 
Police are investigating a mysterious exploding sound that has been occurring intermittently in Montauk for months.

Investigators believe someone is setting off a large mortar fireworks, but they have no arrests have been made since officially beginning an investigation in October.

The explosions, about a half-dozen or so, mainly occur in the evening, on weekends, sporadically, and only once on any given day. The most recent sound was reported on Sunday, police said.

They are reported being heard in various areas around the hamlet, making it that much more difficult to pinpoint who is behind them.

They've mainly been coming from around the golf course and Second House, according to East Hampton Town Police Chief Ed Ecker, who lives in Montauk and heard the sound for himself two weeks ago.

He described it as "a whizzing noise" when it's going up in the air, and then "a big bang." He said, "It sounds just like big fireworks that you would use at Fourth of July."

Officers have observed a flash of light in the sky, coupled with a big bang. Some residents have said they sound like utility transformers exploding. Anecdotally, some residents tell East Hampton Patch the sounds rattle windows and shake the ground.

Lt. Chris Hatch, the Montauk precinct commander, said it has been difficult to develop information, as people haven't reported them to police right away. Some residents in Montauk report that the explosions have been happening for much longer than three months. Hatch said it is difficult to say since some cases may have been logged differently, such as gunshots from hunters or transformer explosions.

Plus, without any location, "The evidence is gone before its started," he said. Officers have canvassed neighborhoods. "We've been chasing this for three months now," he said.

Hatch said they've found no damage - no burn marks in the streets, no burnt mailboxes or garbage cans. "My concern is that someone is going to have an accident with the fireworks, or they are going to land on a house," he said.

Rumors that someone is setting off a bomb or trying to make a bomb have not been substantiated, Hatch said. "All indications right now are that these are commercially prepared fireworks."

Read more at - http://www.sott.net/article/256312-Mysterious-explosion-sound-heard-for-at-least-last-three-months-Montauk-New-York