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Details Of Mall Bomb Threat Discussed By Village Board

Members of the Lakewood Village Board of Trustees listen to reports, including that of Police Chief John Bentley Jr., who updated the board on the bomb threat that occurred at Chautauqua Mall on Aug. 7. P-J photo by Eric Zavinski

LAKEWOOD — An update regarding the 11-year-old male accused of phoning a bomb threat to a gaming store at the Chautauqua Mall was provided during a meeting of the Lakewood Village Board of Trustees on Monday.

“He just picked it out of the blue,” said John Bentley Jr., Lakewood-Busti police chief, regarding the threat to Game Stop inside the mall Aug. 7. The threat prompted an evacuation.

The caller, later identified as a youth living in Ohio, said a “man with a camera was coming to the store and he has a bomb,” according to the Lakewood-Bust Police Department.

The child then hung up, unaware that his lie caused a bomb search led by K-9 units from Lakewood-Busti and Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office.

Members of the Chautauqua County Bomb Squad were also called to assist.

The 11-year-old called from his Ohio home and admitted to his local Tallmadge Police Department that the incident was a joke.

“At this point, really, there’s not much we can do to him at all,” Bentley told the Village Board on Monday.

He elaborated, saying that because he was a juvenile, no charges could be made nor could he be extradited from Ohio. The bomb threat would have been a felony offense if an adult had made the phone call. Bentley said the mall could file a civil suit if it wished to do so.

“They should bring him here for public service, and he can clean the mall,” Trustee Ellen Barnes said of the youth.

“On his hands and knees,” Trustee Douglas Schutte chimed in.

The Tallmadge Police Department was contacted for comment. No further information about the 11-year-old and possible disciplinary action was available before press time.

In related news, Bentley reported that he has undergone sensitivity training. He said he has attended multiple meetings in Mayville in which raising the age of criminal liability has been discussed. This year, the age to be treated like an adult will be raised from 16 and older to 17 and older. Next year, the plan is to raise the age to 18 and older.

“We’re in the process of creating a new system to deal with them,” Bentley said. “It’s going to change the way we do business.”

A new court in Mayville will deal with felony juvenile offenders. Next year, anyone under the age of 18 will be considered a juvenile in New York.

In other emergency services news, a new ladder truck for the Lakewood Village Fire Department will be used beginning in November. Jack Knowlton, president of the department, said the old ladder truck is 28 years old and needs replacing. They will use it until the new one is properly serviced and ready for use.

Fire Chief Steve Smouse had requested the board of trustees to authorize that 1990 Simon-Duplex LT1 Aerial Ladder Truck to be used as a trade-in on the fire company’s purchase of the new ladder truck, which will measure in at 100 feet with a platform.

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