Marietta police say man reported his own bomb threat

An Alabama man, Robert Devlin, was arrested Saturday after police say he reported a bomb was in his own truck at a Marietta shopping center. 

Police alleged that Devlin, 37, placed the 911 call that led to local and federal authorities converging on the East Gate Shopping Plaza at 1800 Lower Roswell Road. The report of an explosive device came in shortly after 8 a.m. Upon arrival, police found Devlin at the scene. 

Police arrested him ater discovering a device that resembled a pipe bomb in Devlin’s truck. Police evacuated the area as members of the Cobb County Police Department’s bomb squad, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), and FBI responded. 

Authorities later determined the bomb to be inoperable. Cobb police said that while the device contained explosives, it lacked the mechanism necessary “to be considered a fully assembled explosive device.” The area was reopened around 3 p.m.

In a news release, Officer Chuck McPhilamy said, “Based on the circumstances and statements made by Devlin, officers determined the threat to be credible and immediately began evacuating the area.”

Devlin is being held at the Cobb County jail on a $60,000 bond. He has been charged with misdemeanor counts of making a false report and possessing a hoax explosive device and a felony for making a false public alarm. 

Police ask that anyone with information contact MPD Detective Bollinger at 770-794-5345.