A routine shoplifting incident turned into a major bomb scare on Wednesday afternoon after a suspect allegedly claimed to have explosives inside a backpack at a Miami Home Depot, prompting an evacuation and the deployment of the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad.
Authorities identified the suspect as 37-year-old Timothy Aviles, who now faces multiple charges following the dramatic scene at the store located at 19400 SW 106th Avenue.
The Confrontation
According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, the incident began around 3:50 p.m. when a Loss Prevention Officer observed Aviles allegedly concealing two bottles of Tide detergent and a pack of lighters before leaving the store without paying.
When confronted, Aviles reportedly dropped his backpack and claimed it contained a bomb that “could explode at any time.” He allegedly taunted the officer by asking, “Can you smell it?” before pulling out the lighters…