Wawa bomb
was a fake;
repercussions
to traffic
and store's
business
were real
Bomb squad
sent in the
robot to
find fake
bomb left on
top of gas
pump
CALIFORNIA,
MD (March
22, 2009) --
A Wawa
convenience
store
located at
Rt. 235 and
Rue Purchase
Road in
California
was
evacuated
this morning
after a
patron
discovered
what
appeared to
be an
explosive
device at
the fuel
pump island.
The 9:01
a.m.
incident
brought Bomb
Technicians
from the
Office of
the State
Fire Marshal
and deputies
from St.
Mary’s
County
Sheriff’s
Office who
closed down
Md. Rt. 235
for two
hours while
conducting
the
investigation.
Bomb
Technicians
utilized a
bomb
disposal
robot and
rendered the
device to be
safe. There
were no
reported
injuries.
This was the
second fake
bomb
incident
this month
with a
Leonardtown
man arrested
for planting
a fake bomb
at the Dash
In in
Leonardtown.
(See story
below)
An employee
of Walmart
was arrested
after she
allegedly
called in 8
phony bomb
threats and
disrupted
the business
in the store
for more
than a week.
The police
response
disrupted
business for
neighbors of
the Wal-Mart
when they
clumsily
closed down
all access
to
Applebee's,
Checkers,
Cheseldines,
Coldwell
Banker and
Wendy's
because it
was the
easiest
thing to do.
Utilizing
grocery
carts to tie
crime scene
tape to
block
entrances
into the
Wal-Mart lot
would have
been just as
effective at
blocking
traffic
entering
into the lot
instead of
closing off
all access
into the
area.
After the
fourth bomb
threat event
in four
days, St.
Mary's
Sheriff Tim
Cameron
instructed
the
responding
units to
stop
blocking
customer
access into
the nearby
stores.
Nationwide,
most of the
Wal-Mart
bomb threats
have come
from
employees
with only
one actual
pipe bomb
incident
which took
place in
North
Carolina.
Wal-Mart is
America's
largest
employer and
has been the
target of
aggressive
union
organizing
activities.
Wal-Mart
this week
announced a
$2 billion
bonus for
its hourly
employees,
the largest
bonus paid
by any
American
company to
it's
employees.
Anyone with
information
is asked to
contact
Maryland
State Police
and St.
Mary's
Sheriff's
detectives
at
301-475-4200
ext. 1950 or
call Crime
Solvers at
301-475-3333.
The caller
does not
have to
leave their
name. If the
information
leads to the
arrest and
conviction,
the caller
may be
eligible for
a cash
reward of up
to $1,000.
Bombs Away
at Dash In
Man Arrested
for fake
bomb
LEONARDTOWN
(March 11,
2009) ---
St. Mary's
Sheriff Tim
Cameron
reports that
the Maryland
fire marshal
robot is
bravely
entering the
Exxon Mart
Dash In for
a small
explosive
devise that
was found
inside.
The fire
marshal bomb
squad will
take it out
and explode
it in a safe
container.
The object
will likely
be found to
be someone's
weird coffee
thermos or
some other
object, but
with the
number of
pipe bombs
made by the
braindead
juveniles of
Southern
Maryland
anything is
possible and
the
authorities
are not
taking any
chances.
UPDATE
As a
result of
the Maryland
State Fire
Marshall and
St. Mary’s
County BCI
investigation
into two
suspicious
packages
that were
left at the
Leonardtown
Dash In, BCI
detectives
arrested and
charged
David Howard
Mattingly,
65 years of
age, from
Leonardtown,
with
Delivering a
Fake
Destructive
Device,
which
carries a
maximum
penalty of
ten years
and ten
thousand
dollars. In
addition,
Mattingly
was charged
with
Property
Destruction
due to his
damaging of
a security
camera while
in police
custody.
Detectives
determined
that at
approximately
9:30 p.m.,
on Tuesday
night
Mattingly
entered the
store with
two packages
that had
threatening
letters
attached.
He gave the
items to a
clerk, who
placed them
in the store
office. On
Wednesday
morning the
store owner
was advised
and police
were
summoned at
approximately
6:40 a.m.
The Fire
Marshall’s
Bomb Squad
determined
that the
packages
were not
explosives
and Deputies
located
Mattingly
operating a
vehicle in
Leonardtown,
where he was
taken into
custody.
On March
11, 2009 at
approximately
6:40 am
deputies
responded to
the Dash In
at the
intersection
of Route 5
and Maypole
Road in
Leonardtown,
Maryland for
a report of
a threat.
Investigation
revealed two
suspicious
packages
were dropped
off at the
business by
a male who
was later
identified.
As a
precaution,
the business
was closed
and the
surrounding
area
secured.
St. Mary’s
County
Bureau of
Criminal
Investigation
Detectives,
along with
officers
from the
Maryland
State Fire
Marshall’s
responded to
the scene.
The State
Fire
Marshall’s
Office Bomb
Squad was
called to
the scene
and rendered
both
packages
safe.
Further
examination
of the
packages
determined
neither
package to
be an
explosive
device.
The
suspect was
located and
taken into
custody.
The
investigation
is
continuing
and charges
are pending.
