Camelon store owner: '˜I'm no terrorist'

The owner of the store at the centre of yesterday's bomb scare in Camelon Main Street does not want people to get the wrong idea about him.
A Royal Logistics Corps bomb detection and disposal unit approaches Microtech 2000A Royal Logistics Corps bomb detection and disposal unit approaches Microtech 2000
A Royal Logistics Corps bomb detection and disposal unit approaches Microtech 2000

Bomb disposal robot and Royal Logistics Corps experts searched the interior of Microtech 2000 for a number of hours before a decision was taken to cordon the area off and call in the bomb squad, more police officers, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Meanwhile, the shop owner, who does not want to be named, was held in custody without charge in Falkirk Police Station.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He called The Falkirk Herald today to give his side of the story, stating he did not want people to think he was some kind of terrorist.

“I don’t want to give my name because I don’t want people to add up two and two and come up with five. I got a call saying the police wanted to check my store for fraudulent material and I got there and opened the shop for them at 11am and let them in.

“They asked me to confirm my name and then said to me we are detaining you until we search your premises. I was taken to the police station and I was there for about eight hours.

“Then they released me, gave me back my shop keys, and said I was free to go.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It was then the owner found out what had been happening while he was in custody.

“Someone told me, your shop is all over the news. I thought they were winding me up. Police had access to the shop for nearly three hours before they called the bomb squad.

“My solicitor said they must have spent millions on that operation because that kind of thing is not cheap.”

Police Scotland would not reveal how much yesterday’s large scale operation cost, however, they did confirm the owner’s story about him being detained and released.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Police in Forth Valley executed a search warrant at a business premises in Main Street, Camelon, on the morning of Wednesday, June 29 in connection with a fraud investigation.

“While in attendance, officers discovered a suspicious device and a cordon was put in place from 1.15pm to 4.15pm as a precaution. The appropriate partners were called to assist and there was found to be no threat to the public.

“A man was detained in connection with the fraud investigation but has since been released, and enquiries are continuing including further police activity in Camelon today.”