A 12-year-old student at Oak Hammock Middle School was arrested on campus at 3:40 p.m. this past Thursday afternoon, charged with one felony count of making a false bomb threat. This is the second time in two days that a student has been arrested from anonymous tips for calling false bomb threats into their schools.

Around 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23, administrators at Oak Hammock Middle School, 5321 Tice Street, Fort Myers, received a call indicating there was a bomb inside the school. A long list of officers, firefighters, bomb squad technicians and EMS personnel were called to the scene, which was cleared after deputies found no explosive

devices within the building.

Early Friday, Crime Stoppers received a tip naming Adam T. Thirtle, 12, as the student who called in the bomb threat. Investigators worked throughout the day following up on that lead, and just 20 minutes before school let out for the afternoon,

Thirtle was placed in handcuffs and charged with the felony crime. He was turned over to the Juvenile Assessment Center for processing.

Earlier last week, Stephen Wright was arrested after a Crime Stoppers tip linked him to the bomb threat called in Tuesday afternoon at Cypress Lake High School. Each of these incidents are felony crimes, which cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars each time a false call is made. It’s also important to note that within the last 48 hours, there have been six false bomb threats called in to Lee County Schools. Law enforcement is hopeful that

anonymous tips will continue to come in on the other calls, and that students will get the message that their crank calls are extremely costly and will land them in jail.

In last week’s false bomb threat at South Fort Myers High School, for example, 20 deputies were on scene for approximately four hours, working to ensure the school was safe. In addition to the costs associated with law enforcement’s deployment, there are additional manpower costs for the fire departments, and EMS. Also during last week’s event at South Fort Myers High, two students had to be treated by EMS for heat exhaustion, as students had to remain outdoors until the school could be assuredly cleared of any explosive devices. The perpetrator of that call is still unknown at this time.

“Kids may think they’re being funny by making crank calls or false bomb threats, but in reality, they’re inciting tremendous, and needless, disruption of schoolwork, not to mention pulling deputies off the road who could otherwise be investigating legitimate crimes,” said Trish Routte, Crime Stoppers coordinator. “Obviously, there are students out there who are doing the right thing and calling Crime Stoppers, and we hope they’ll continue making

those calls, and collecting the cash rewards. We also hope the expedient arrests of students over the last week will send a clear message to students that calling in false bomb threats will leave them with felony criminal arrests on their records.

When they’re booked into the jail, they won’t think it’s so funny anymore.”

Anyone with information on the other four bomb threats made in Lee County over the last week is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tips may also be made online at www.swflcrimestoppers.org‘>www.swflcrimestoppers.org or via the TipSubmit app on any iPhone.

For additional information, contact Trish Routte, Crime Stoppers coordinator, at 239-477- 1407.