LEWISTON – Police arrested a Walnut Street man on Christmas Eve minutes after he allegedly called 911 to report bombs about to explode inside Saints Peter and Paul Basilica and a local bar.
The call came in from a pay phone at 5:23 p.m. on Saturday. The celebrated church had Christmas Mass scheduled for 6 p.m.
Lewiston Lt. Tom Avery said police took the threat “quite seriously,” responding to both Peter and Paul’s and Del’s Bar & Grille.
Del’s and the pay phone are both on Walnut Street. The bombs were threatened to go off in 15 minutes.
Officer Justin Kittredge knew that area and recognized the caller’s distinct, Southern accent, according to Avery, and along with Officer Corey Jacques, went to the second-floor apartment of Thomas Smith, 51, at 41 Walnut St.
Smith was arrested at 5:44 p.m.
Under questioning, he allegedly admitted to making the call and that there were no bombs. As far as police can tell, Smith didn’t have anything particular against the church.
“The only thing of note he said was his heroes are Randy Weaver and David Koresh,” Avery said.
Koresh was the head of the Branch Davidians who died after a high-profile standoff in Waco, Texas in 1993. Weaver was involved in a standoff with federal agents a year earlier at his home, dubbed Ruby Ridge.
Smith was taken to Androscoggin County Jail, charged with false public alarm and harassment by phone. He was still there Sunday, unable to raise $500 bail.
On Saturday, the church service continued as planned, and business at the bar was uninterrupted.
Del’s Bar & Grille received a less-detailed 911 bomb threat from the same pay phone on Friday night. Police investigated, Avery said. “We knew the bar had thrown some people out,” and figured the call might have come from an upset customer. It’s not clear whether Smith was one of the patrons tossed from the bar.
Smith is “known to us,” he added, having had run-ins with police in the past. “The street knowledge these officers have working the street pays off. This time it paid off very quickly.”
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