Coffee Weapon

A false fire alarm and a coffee-saturated elevator phone led to charges for a 26-year-old man Stewart Street man, city police said.

Police said two men went into the second-floor reception area of the Social Services Building on Charlotte Street Jan. 8 at 2:40 p.m. because one man believed he had an appointment.

He was told he had the wrong date, police said, and the two men left.

Police said the two opened the phone box in the elevator and one man poured coffee onto the phone, an action captured on the elevator’s video camera.

As they left the building through the southeast exit door one man pulled the fire alarm, police said.

People began to leave the building and the fire department attended, police said.

Thomas Neil Nicholson was arrested at the police station Monday.

He’s charged with mischief and making a false fire alarm. He was released from custody and will appear in court Feb. 21.