Walmart employees wait in the parking lot as police investigate a bomb threat on Sept. 15. The threat started when a prank call was made to Walmart management, warning them of two bombs contained within backpacks in the store. TIM CARTER | Scroll Photography

A phone call containing a bomb threat was received by management at Walmart in Rexburg on Sept.15 around 5:00 p.m.
Captain Randy Lewis of the Rexburg Police Department said an unknown male caller told a Walmart assistant manager that he had placed two backpacks containing bombs inside the store. The assistant manager told police that the caller spoke with an accent. The caller said he had placed one backpack in the Windex aisle and another in the toilet paper aisle.
Lewis said the assistant manager decided to evacuate the store and call the police. The Rexburg police tried to track the phone number, but were unable to find the person who placed the phone call.
“It was a computer-generated phone number. There was no name to it,” Lewis said.
A few stores nearby were also evacuated and police blocked traffic from entering the Walmart parking lot. Walmart employees watched from the curb as police stretched yellow tape between shopping carts to block the building’s entrance. Bomb dogs were brought from Idaho Falls to investigate the building.
“We don’t get many calls like this, so sometimes we have to rely on other agencies. Idaho Falls has a bomb squad,” Lewis said.
Although the caller had specified in which aisles the alleged bombs were placed, the police searched everywhere.
“You check the whole building, upstairs, downstairs, and everywhere. That’s why we use dogs; they’re real quick,” Lewis said.
No bombs were found. Lewis said the call was a prank.

« Previous Post - Next Post »