Vons evacuated following bomb threat
K9’s from ICE, Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Department and Cal State Northridge search Vons for bomb, nothing found
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Published: May 07, 2008
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula Times
Bomb-sniffing dogs from three agencies were summoned to a Santa Paula grocery market Friday evening as the result of a threat reported to shopping firefighters. The incident occurred at Vons, located in the 500 block of West Main Street, according to SPPD Senior Officer Ryan Smith.
At about 6:20 p.m. SPFD Firefighters Jake Cowden and Matt Klein entered Vons when they were approached by a store employee who “came up to us real quiet like and said the store had received a call about a bomb about 45 minutes earlier” said Firefighter Cowden.
At the time the store “was pretty full,” said Firefighter Klein, with about 60 to 70 customer cars in the parking lot in the area in front of the market.
The SPPD was notified at 6:26 p.m. and upon the arrival of officers ordered that the store be evacuated. The parking lot in front of the market was cleared of vehicles and yellow caution tape strung up to keep people out of the immediate area.
Sr. Officer Smith said the SPPD immediately contacted the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department, Department of Homeland Security/Immigration Customs Enforcement and California State University Northridge to request the services of the agencies’ bomb-sniffing dogs. “Those dogs are far and few between,” and further action could not be taken until the dogs and their handlers responded to the scene.
Sr. Officer Ryan said that the Vons’ employee stated that a “male called” reporting a bomb had been placed inside the market, but offered “no specifics on where or what kind or type” of device.
“I’m pretty sure it’s a prank,” said Vons Manager Mike Ayerle, who was notified of the incident and responded to the scene. In response to a question, Ayerle said that no employees had been terminated “lately” and that such a threat is a “sad thing... there’s a chance the customers,” could panic under such circumstances. There were about “30 to 40 employees on tonight,” he noted.
Sr. Officer Smith said that the incident is the fourth bomb threat reported in the city in “about the last 16 months.”
Both City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz and Police Chief Steve MacKinnon - who had been on a prearranged SPPD ride along - responded to the scene shortly before the dogs and their handlers arrived.
When a bystander expressed surprised that one of the bomb-sniffing dogs was a Labrador, Chief MacKinnon said that the breed is recognized - and subsequently highly desirable for such duty - for their extremely sharp sense of smell.
Bobkiewicz was on his cell phone apprising members of the Council of the situation: “Well, you might want to go somewhere elsewhere,” he replied when a Councilman said Bobkiewicz caught him just as he was leaving to shop at Vons.
ICE Inspector Dan Roth and “Dani,” Cpl. Thomas Finnerty and “Frieda” and Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department Deputy Ken Rushing and “Vito” entered the store with SPPD personnel.
Left behind in a SPPD patrol vehicle was Sr. Officer Ryan’s K-9 Rex, who whined jealously as he watched his partner walk towards the store with the other dogs and their handlers.
At 8:32 p.m. law enforcement personnel exited the store and Inspector Roth said that the “dogs didn’t indicate” an explosive device inside.
“We always work well with these guys,” said SPPD Sgt. Troyce Reynolds of the responding agencies.
Even before Vons’ employees had a chance to reenter the market several customers rushed in, a scene not as unusual as one that occurred earlier in the evening when a customer tried to enter the store, even as the caution tape was being placed around the area.
