Police: Hermitage Subway employees wrote bomb threats to leave work early
Police say two employees who wanted to go home early from their jobs at the Subway restaurant in the Hermitage Walmart, did so by writing bomb threats on the restroom walls.
Peter Pope, 43, of West Middlesex, and Skye Bowser, 19, of Hermitage, are charged with making bomb threats and terroristic threats that caused the evacuation of the Walmart on the evening of June 15.
According to a criminal complaint, Pope, who was a manager of the Subway at the time, convinced Bowser, a fellow employee, to write a threat on the women’s restroom wall so they could both leave work early.
Police accuse Pope of writing a threat on a wall of the men’s restroom as well.
One of the messages, written in black marker, said there was a bomb in the toy department. The other message said there was a bomb in the store.
Pope is the one who reported the restroom message to a Walmart employee, according to the complaint.
The Walmart was evacuated, and three bomb-sniffing dogs were called from Butler County and Pittsburgh to conduct a search that turned up no signs of explosives.
Police learned of the alleged conspiracy from another Subway employee who said Pope had suggested that she write the bomb threat in the restroom so they could leave early. That employee said she refused.
The criminal complaint says Bowser admitted writing the threat at the suggestion of Pope, who denies the allegations.
Bowser is free on a $20,000 bond and has a hearing set before a district magistrate on July 19.
Pope is free on a $50,000 bond awaiting a July 5 hearing.