A Florida man allegedly made a false bomb threat at a Home Depot after being approached by a loss prevention officer for shoplifting, telling the worker he had explosives in his backpack while asking him, “Can you smell it?”

Timothy Aviles, 37, allegedly “pulled out a pack of lighters from his pocket” after exiting the hardware store and asking the question, and then acted as if he would be igniting something, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Law&Crime.

“Fearing that the individual was going to use the lighters to ignite a device, the loss prevention officer took the lighters from the individual,” the complaint says. “The loss prevention officer contacted a Miami-Dade Sheriff”s Office deputy who was working an off-duty detail at the business.”

The off-duty deputy detained Aviles, who allegedly proceeded to continue threatening the store and people around him, which led to the Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad being called to the scene and the Home Depot evacuated.

“[Aviles] stated again that there was a bomb in his backpack,” the complaint alleges.

An examination of Aviles’ bag did not yield any explosive materials. Instead, cops allegedly found two “Tide detergent bottles” that Aviles had stolen, per the complaint.

“[Police] interviewed the loss prevention officer, who stated he observed the defendant place the bottles of detergent in his backpack and place the pack of lighters in his front right pant pocket,” the complaint says. “The loss prevention officer, witnessing the individual walk past all points of sale and exit the store, identified himself to the individual, who immediately dropped his backpack to the floor and told the loss prevention officer there was a bomb in the backpack and it could explode at any time.”

The total cost of Aviles’ Home Depot haul was approximately $25, according to police. A records check revealed prior convictions dating back to 2019, as well as earlier this year for petit theft.

“The defendant refused to speak with investigators, was charged accordingly, and transported,” the complaint concludes.

Aviles is facing one count of making a false report about placing a bomb or explosive and one count of petty theft. He was being held Thursday on a $7,500 bond and ordered to stay away from Home Depot.