AUGUSTA — A bomb threat at the Augusta Walmart Wednesday evening — the fourth this year — prompted another evacuation and closure of the store.

Augusta Police are investigating whether the four scares, all of them communicated as bomb threats with threatening messages left at the store, could be related and left by the same person.

Eric Lloyd, staff sergeant, said it is possible the threats could have been carried out by the same person. “It is possible and has not been ruled out at this time one way or another.”

So far this year city police have responded to six bomb threats citywide, four of them at Walmart. Lloyd said the scares at Walmart were in April, June, September, and now October.

The threat was reported at 6:27 p.m. The store was evacuated and closed, and reopened around 8 p.m.

Police Chief Kevin Lully said after a terrorizing complaint was reported to police, officers met with Walmart staff and decided to evacuate the store.

While declining to reveal specifics of how police respond to bomb-scare calls, Lloyd said typically when threats are made police will order an evacuation of the building and conduct a search there, based on the nature of the threat, and communicate their evaluation of the situation to the business involved. Whether the business reopens that day or night, or remains closed, is up to the business.

Lully said the terrorizing complaint is under active investigation and asked anyone with information to contact police at 207-626-2370, ext. 3418.

Hannah Henderson, a spokesperson from Walmart’s global press office, said the company does not discuss its safety and security procedures, but said they are working closely with law enforcement and “the safety of our associates and customers is our top priority.”