(Update:) Santa Barbara police arrested a man for making false bomb and terrorist threats Thursday afternoon.
Police said they received a report of a bomb threat around 2 p.m. at Bank of America on State Street.
A man walked in and told a teller that he had an explosive device in his bag.
The man, identified as 35-year-old Stephen Paradise from Bristol, England, then sat on the floor of the bank with the bag.
Police said the bank immediately evacuated and after a brief negotiation, police took Paradise into custody without incident.
The bomb squad searched through the bag and the premises and found no explosive device, according to the press release.
Paradise was arrested for felony false bomb threats and felony terrorist threats and the British consulate was notified of his arrest.
Police said State Street and Canon Perdido Street were closed for several hours. The area was reopened around 4:00 p.m.
The incident is still under investigation.
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(Original:) State Street and Canon Perdido Street are closed as police investigate a potential bomb threat in Santa Barbara Thursday afternoon.
Police said they received a report of an explosive device inside the bank located at Bank of America at 834 State Street.
Officers conducted a preliminary search inside the bank and did not find anything resembling an explosive device.
Police also said they received information that the threat may not be credible.
However, out of caution, bomb technicians were called to the scene for a more thorough search of the building.
Police are urging community members to stay away from the area of State Street and Canon Perdido Street until the investigation is finished.
This is a developing story, and will be updated when new information becomes available.
