A bomb threat forced the evacuation of restaurants, motels and part of the waterfront in Old Orchard Beach. The crackdown began after the threat was phoned in to the Temple Beth Israel synagogue. Police said nine messages were left on the synagogue’s answering machine. Several of them warned the synagogue was not safe. The final message indicated a bomb was in the building.

Within an hour, police arrested Ami Arbassio, 32, and took her to the York County Jail. She is charged with terrorizing, and bail was set at $1,000.

Old Orchard Beach police said they plan to turn the case over to the Maine Attorney General’s office, where it may be pursued as a hate crime.

(Source: WMTW)