Former Taco Bell Employee Indicted For Calling in West Long Branch Bomb Threats

By Christopher Sheldon

An Eatontown Man and former employee of Buy Buy Baby and Taco Bell in West Long Branch, was indicted for calling in bomb threats at the Consumer Centre, also located in the borough.

Kristopher Thomas, 21, was employed at Chuck E. Cheese at the time of his arrest in February, and called in bomb threats there and at Buy Buy Baby and Taco Bell.

He was indicted on five counts of false public alarm by a Monmouth County Grand Jury on June 25.

If convicted, Thomas faces three to five years in prison on each count.

The West Long Branch Police were dispatched to the Buy Buy Baby store on Feb. 17 after the Monmouth County Radio Room received a 911 call at 1:24 p.m.

All access to The Consumer Center was blocked and all stores were evacuated as part of a multi-jurisdictional response including Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office K-9 units and Mobile Command Center, Long Branch, and the West Long Branch Fire, First Aid, and Office of Emergency Management. The threat was deemed to be unfounded after a search of the area proved negative.

The West Long Branch Police were dispatched to The Consumer Center following a 9:38 a.m. on Feb. 18 for another threat made at the Buy Buy Baby store, and once again all access was blocked to the shopping center and all stores were evacuated as part of a multi-jurisdictional response from the U.S. Park Police K-9 Unit, Office of Emergency Management, Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Units and the Long Branch Police Department. West Long Branch Fire and First Aid were put on standby until the area was cleared.

“After the building was cleared, the store was re-opened to the public with no one allowed to enter the store with any bags, packages or receptacle that could hide an explosive device,” West Long Branch Police Chief Lawrence Mihlon said in February.  “Anticipating more calls and the possibility the suspect was watching law enforcement responses, subsequent bomb threats were handled according to specific guidelines.”

According to a release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, less than four hours later, the Buy Buy Baby store received a call at 2:21 p.m. and West Long Branch Police were once again dispatched to the area to evacuate the store and evacuate the general public from the shopping center until another search of the area proved negative for any explosives.

An hour later, with authorities on scene from the earlier bomb threats a call was received at the Chuck E Cheese restaurant at 3:18 p.m. prompting a search of the restaurant with negative results, prosecutors said at the time. The call was followed by another call received at the nearby Taco Bell restaurant prompting an evacuation and search of the building with negative results