
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, June 18, 1994                    TAG: 9406180231 
SECTION: LOCAL                     PAGE: B3    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT 
DATELINE: 940618                                 LENGTH: HAMPTON

COLISEUM MALL IS EVACUATED; BOMB FOUND

{LEAD} A bomb threat forced shoppers to leave a mall Friday, and police later found what they believe to be an explosive device in a planter.

It was the second time in three months that a suspected bomb was found in Coliseum Mall. On March 23, two bomb threats caused the mall's evacuation, and a small device was found later in the food court.

{REST} Friday, police spokesman Donnie Moore said, a man phoned Coliseum Mall at 2:09 p.m. and told an employee: ``You have two hours to find this one.''

At 3:30 p.m. the mall's general manager ordered an evacuation. At 6:15 p.m., a state police bomb technician found ``a suspected explosive device'' in a planter in the mall's common area, Moore said. The device was removed, and no one was hurt.

The mall reopened at 7:45 p.m.

{KEYWORDS} BOMB

by CNB