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Detectives are asking the public if they have any information about the bomb threats to call (941) 639-2101.

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Two bomb scares in four days have scrambled the full force of Charlotte County Sheriff's Office anti-terrorism units this week.

Police have not determined whether the threats are related.

The first bomb scare shut down all stores and traffic in Village Market Place shopping center, 1825 Tamiami Trail, for three hours until 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The second threat began at 11 a.m. today when a caller reported a bomb threat at WalMart, 19100 Murdock Circle, in Murdock. The building was searched and employees and customers were allowed back in the store at 12:15 p.m.

In both instances, CCSO deputies, detectives, K9, community service aides, firefighters and emergency medical technicians responded.

The first incident started when a 22-year-old Port Charlotte woman with her 1- and 4-year-old children drove to Save-a-Lot. She told police a dark truck with two white "scruffy looking" males pulled up alongside her tan Jeep SUV and blocked her in her vehicle. They exchanged glances but the woman then drove forward to another space, got out with her children and went shopping.

When she came out, she put her children in their seats and the groceries in the SUV before noticing a note on her windshield that said a bomb would go off if she started her vehicle.

The woman got the children out immediately and called the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office at 6:23 p.m. Deputies, fire and EMS were called and evacuated the shopping center and all stores. The bomb squad at 8:25 p.m. deployed a robot along with two bomb squad men in safety gear. Bomb-sniffing K9 teams also searched the center.

After a thorough search of the vehicle and parking lot, shoppers were allowed to take their vehicles and leave the area. CCSO detectives are examining the note for fingerprints.

Detectives are asking the public if they have any information about the two men in the dark truck to call (941) 639-2101.

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