A Long Island woman is facing charges after allegedly calling in false bomb and gun threats at a mall on New Year's Day, police said.
Tasia Morales texted bogus tips to 9-1-1 about woman with a gun at Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove, and even lied about seeing a bomb just after 4 p.m. Sunday, according to Suffolk County Police. Officers responded to the scene, but found no threat. No one was evacuated during the search for the made-up weapons.
"The exact wording was 'help there's a bomb at the mall near the Barnes & Noble,' as well as 'help, Alexa has a gun,' said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison.
Morales, a 28-year-old employee at one of the stores inside the mall, was later arrested and charged, police said. She was arraigned Monday morning and left court after facing a judge.
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"She was concerned that someone was coming to the store to confront her. She made this way of getting cops to respond by making a false report," Harrison said.
Morales did not answer questions from reporters. She was released on the condition she not return to work — but police said it was not the first time Morales has pulled such a stunt.
"We also have a couple other incidents where she looked like she was falsifying a report to a 9-1-1 operator via text, and we are going to look at those as well," Harrison said.
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The other false reports were also made in relation to the mal, according to police. Morales is due back in court later in January.
