West Long Branch police are investigating a bomb threat made to a store in a Route 36 shopping center on the morning of Feb. 10.
According to Police Chief Lawrence Mihlon, at approximately 11:30 a.m., one of the stores in the Consumer Centre complex at 310 Route 36 received a phone call indicating that there was a bomb in the store.
“As a precaution and out of concern for the surrounding area we evacuated the surrounding stores and some homes behind the complex,” Mihlon said on Jan. 11.
West Long Branch police established a command post and received assistance from the Oceanport, Eatontown and Long Branch police departments as well as the Long Branch Fire Marshal’s Office.
K-9 units from the New Jersey State Police, the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office and Wall Township police checked the building, he said.
Once it was determined that the buildings were safe, store staffs and patrons were permitted to re-enter the complex approximately two and a half hours later.
The incident is currently under investigation by the West Long Branch Police Department’s Detective Bureau.
“There have been no apprehensions,” Mihlon said, “but the detective bureau is working on leads.”
— Nicole Antonucci