Palmer Man Arrested for Threatening to Bomb Walmart in Ware

A Palmer man, Anthony Quink, was apprehended by authorities after allegedly making a bomb threat towards a Walmart store in Ware. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon, leading to the evacuation of the store. Quink, 59, had been exchanging a watch when he reportedly informed an employee that a bomb was going to detonate, stating, “I’m getting out,” as per court records. Notably, Quink was found wearing a fake mustache, which was discovered in his pocket upon arrest, according to police reports.

Quink appeared in court on Monday and pleaded not guilty to a single count of threatening to bomb or hijack. Subsequently, he was remanded to Hampshire Jail in lieu of bail. The Ware police swiftly responded to the Walmart located on Palmer Road around 4 p.m. after the store’s management reported the threat. In response, law enforcement agencies, including the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad, local police departments, and UMass Amherst’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal K-9 unit, were called in. Following a thorough search, the bomb squads cleared the building, and the store was reopened at approximately 6 p.m., as confirmed by Ware police.

Court documents revealed that surveillance footage from the store captured Quink entering with a green bag in a shopping cart, which was later found near the checkout area. An officer questioned Quink outside the Walmart, to which he denied making a bomb threat and claimed to have said “boom.” When pressed further, Quink stated that he actually said “boob,” a response that perplexed the officer.

Ware police expressed their gratitude to Walmart for their prompt response to the threat, commending the employees and management for their composed and swift actions. The retail giant was contacted for a comment but has yet to respond as of Monday evening.