Police comb theaters after threat to Carmike chain

The Associated Press, Friday, August 17, 2012, 12:52pm (PDT)

COLUMBUS, Ga. (AP) -- Carmike Cinemas says police searched its movie theaters in several states for explosives after someone called in a bomb threat to its corporate headquarters in Georgia.

Carmike spokesman Terrell Mayton says company officials alerted the FBI after discovering the threat in a voicemail message Friday morning. He says the call was placed after hours Thursday by someone claiming to work for a contractor that provides janitorial services to Carmike.

Mayton said the call threatened specific theaters, but he could not say how many or in what states. News outlets reported police searches in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky and North Carolina.

No bombs were found. Mayton says most theaters were cleared before their first show times Friday.

Columbus police says the caller made a reference to the Sylvester Stallone movie "The Expendables 2" that opened Friday.