Bomb hoaxes reported at Target stores in Bedford, Keene

Roberta Baker, The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester
·2 min read

Feb. 28—Anonymous bomb threats to Target stores in Bedford and Keene prompted the stores to be evacuated Tuesday morning while police searched for explosive devices.

After police found nothing, the threats were determined to be hoaxes and the stores were reopened 45 minutes to two hours later, according to police departments in Bedford and Keene.

"We have to treat every single one as the real thing until we have enough information to debunk it as a hoax," said Sgt. Luke Antin of the Keene Police Department. Following a similar false alarm at a Walmart in Keene on Feb. 8, and other experiences among large retailers, "It seems to be a trend. You've got to take it very seriously, as much as possible," Antin said.

"The safety of our guests and team members is Target's top priority, and we briefly evacuated our Keene and Bedford stores today following threats of violence," Target spokesperson Joe Unger said Tuesday in an emailed statement. "We can confirm these threats were not credible" and both stores have since reopened.

According to a spokesperson for the Bedford Police Department, Target on South River Road received a call around 10 a.m. The store contacted local police, who called for assistance from New Hampshire State Police.

Employees and customers were evacuated and asked to stay in the parking lot away from the store while members of the New Hampshire State Bomb Squad, a K-9 unit, swept the building for incendiary devices. With the help of police dogs trained to sniff for explosive materials, the location was declared clear and reopened at around 11 a.m.

Shortly after 8:30 a.m., the Keene Police Department received a call from the Target on Ash Brook Road, reporting that an unidentified male had called from an unknown phone number, claiming he had placed a bomb inside the store. The building was evacuated and Keene law enforcement officers, assisted by a New Hampshire State Police K-9 unit, searched the store, discovering nothing suspicious.

"With the assistance of other agencies across the state and management at Target, we were able to determine that the call was a hoax and the lives of employees and customers were never in danger," Keene police stated in a news release.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Keene law enforcement 603-357-9820 and ask to speak to Sgt. Luke Antin.