Local police departments remained busy dealing with multiple bomb threats made to area businesses and Penn State, as well as a bank robbery in Ferguson Township.
Ferguson Township police released a security camera image Aug. 28 of a man they consider to be a suspect in at least some of the incidents. An image of his truck also was released.
On Aug. 27, State College police were called to both College Township and Patton Township Walmart stores after they received threats of explosives planted there. Officers were called to the scenes at about 4:45 p.m. and declared the stores safe for reentry by 6 p.m.
These incidents comes on the heels of a hectic Aug. 22 when the Patton Township Walmart received a bomb threat and a bank in Ferguson Township was held up by a man in long purple garment.
Ferguson Township police said at about 4 p.m. a man wearing a purple gown and sporting a mask held up the SPE Federal Credit Union, demanded cash and threatened to set off an explosive device he claimed he was carrying in a duffel bag. Police later determined the bag was not a threat after the man left it behind.
Shortly before, Patton Township police said they were dispatched to the North Atherton Street Walmart when someone called in a bomb threat at about 2:18 p.m. The state police deployed explosive detection dogs and cleared the building at about 5:15 p.m., Patton Township police said in a news release. Officers performed a second check on the roof of the building and a suspicious package caused the store to again be evacuated. The package was later cleared as non-threatening.
Sgt. Sean Albright, of Patton Township Police, said at the time the bomb threat and bank robbery could be related.
Penn State police said they received a phone call about a possible explosive at about 2:45 p.m. Aug. 22. The caller said he or she was targeting the Research West Building near the White Golf Course, according to Penn State’s news service.
Officers remained on scene for hours after personnel were evacuated and swept the area with the university’s bomb-sniffing dogs.
Police said they did find a small cylinder with wires attached. The Penn State-State College hazardous device team investigated further and found the cylinder “was not a viable explosive device.” The university notified students, staff and the public through its alert system.
