FORT KENT – Two adults and two juveniles were charged with criminal mischief Thursday after they allegedly planted a homemade bomb inside the mailbox of a Fort Kent family.

Fort Kent Police Chief Kenneth Michaud said that the incident occurred on Oct. 12, but the four were charged Thursday.

According to the chief, a Third Avenue resident saw a truck go down the street on Oct. 12 and pass by once again. A loud bang then echoed on the street as a mailbox blew up.

Michaud said witnesses obtained the license plate number of the vehicle.

Michaud said that four males – Travis Toussaint, 18, of Eagle Lake, Josh Robichaud, 20, of Fort Kent, a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old from Fort Kent – subsequently were charged with criminal mischief after it was determined that they may have put the bomb in the mailbox of a family who lived on the street.

The teens reportedly learned how to make the device on the Internet.

They did not know the family whose mailbox they targeted, according to the chief.

He added that the teens could have faced much more serious charges, including a felony charge of criminal use of explosives and tampering with a mailbox, but the charges were reduced because all are first-time offenders.

Toussaint and Robichaud are scheduled for a Dec. 21 court appearance, while the juveniles will be handled through the juvenile justice system.