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Bomb Threats Phoned in On Two Local Banks

by John H Snowden, III
Publisher / Editor
nencnews@yahoo.com

Unknown callers made bomb threats within an hour of each other against two local banks Friday. The firs call came Friday around 10:00 a.m. to The Bank of Hampton Roads location just north of the NC/VA State line in Moyock. According to a press release from the City of Chesapeake, the caller demanded an undisclosed sum of money be placed in a car and driven to a location in North Carolina. The caller went on to state that if the bank did not comply, a bomb placed at the bank would be detonated.

Upon receipt of the threat, bank officials contacted the Chesapeake Police Department. Police and Fire personnel were dispatched to the location in the 4700 block of South Battlefield Boulevard, where they awaited the Virginia State Police Bomb Squad. A portion of Highway 168 was closed to traffic for public safety easons until law enforcement personnel could determine that there was no bomb located on the site. Highway 168 was reopened to traffic between and 2 pm.

While officials were working the Chesapeake threat, a similar threat was called in against a branch of The Bank of the Commonwealth located in Powells Point. According to a spokesperson forthe Currituck Sheriff’s Office, an unidentified caller contacted the Bank branch stating that a bomb had been placed in a flower planter in front of the building. The unknown caller demanded that an undisclosed amouth of money be placed in a car and driven to an undisclosed location. The caller threatened to detonate the bomb unless the bank complied.

Currituck County Law Enforcement officials closed of a portion of Highway 158, and awaited arrival of the Virgina State Police Bomb Squad. Officials destroyed the flowerplanter, however, confirmed that there was no explosives located in the planter.

Two Currituck banks - Gateway in Moyock and The Bank of the Commonwealth in Moyock - have been the target of robberies in the past two months. Both crimes are still under investigation. Anyone with a tip on the robberies or the recent bomb threats is encouraged to contact the Currituck Sheriff’s Office at (252) 453-8204.

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