Police explode suitcase after bomb scare in the Auckland CBD
A bit of rush-hour drama near NBR Towers.
A bit of rush-hour drama near NBR Towers.
A bit of drama was seen in the Auckland CBD during rush hour last night after a "suspicious item" was reported downtown.
Police closed part of Britomart, around the RaboBank building, as the NZ Defence Force sent in a robot to investigate a small suitcase, which was left beside a rubbish bin — a scenario that recalled the recent incident in New York.
The suitcase was destroyed in a small, controlled detonation.
Police say it was empty.
They are reviewing CC TV footage.
The immediate area, which includes the US consulate (and NBR's offices) has been the subject of a number of bomb scares. They included one in 2010 during which the US consulate was briefly evacuated. That scare also came to nothing and an NBR staffer hoped their tweets about a certain "Bomber" being on the way had nothing to do with the events that unfolded.
Bomb disposal bot in #Auckland CBD, Quay Street. pic.twitter.com/skXaFKhCBW
— Leo Xiong (@iamleoxiong) September 29, 2016