Local News in Brief : Bomb Threat Traced to Holding Area of Jail

A bomb threat made to the Los Angeles Police Department’s Foothill Division station in Pacoima came from an unlikely place, police said Sunday.

A prisoner trying to “get back at the police” made the threatening call about 6 a.m. Saturday from a telephone inside the station after he had been arrested in a domestic dispute, Sgt. Jay Frey said.

But the man made one mistake, Frey said. He dialed the “911” emergency number, and police communications immediately traced the call to 12760 Osborne St.--the address of the Foothill station.

The station was not evacuated because officers “weren’t too concerned about the bomb after they found out” where the call came from, Frey said.

The threat was made from a telephone available to prisoners in a jail holding area, Frey said. When officers went there, they found Albert E. Whitright, 18, of Pacoima, he said.

Whitright was originally arrested on suspicion of battery in connection with the domestic dispute, and his bail had been $500. After the incident, police accused him of making a false bomb threat, a felony, and increased his bail to $5,000. As of Sunday, he remained in the Foothill Division jail, police said.