Suspect sought after bomb threat at Durham pawn shop

Police shut down streets around a Durham pawn shop for several hours Tuesday after a man walked into the store, claiming he had a bomb.

The Durham County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad determined that the device left inside Friendly Jewelry and Pawn, at 2731 Chapel Hill Blvd., was not a bomb or an explosive device, Durham Police Department spokeswoman Kammie Michael said.

The pawn shop is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the identification and capture of a suspect, the store’s manager, Effie Hayes, said in a statement.

The suspect, described as a tall, white man with a large build, fled in an employee’s 2006 white Saturn Vue. He had a shaved head and was wearing glasses and a mask.

Investigators say they are looking at whether the case is connected to a robbery at a convenience store robbery Sunday night.

A man matching a similar description entered the Fast Food Mart, at 2947 Chapel Hill Road shortly before 7 p.m., placed a backpack on the counter and told employees that it contained a bomb.

Anyone with information about either case is asked to call the Durham Police Department at 919-560-4583 or Crime Stoppers at 919-683-1200.