ROCKLAND, Maine — The owner of a “suspicious” package contacted police shortly after the U.S. Post Office was evacuated Monday and both the post office and adjacent downtown street were reopened.
Rockland police said an old-looking briefcase with no markings or identification on it had been found by a postal employee at about noon on a heating register in the lobby near the entrance to Limerock Street.
The employee contacted management and a decision was made to evacuate the building and contact police, who blocked off Limerock Street by the intersection with Main Street at about 1 p.m. Limerock is a one-way street in the section that is adjacent to the Post Office. Other officers kept pedestrians from approaching the building while awaiting specialists from the Maine State Police and U.S. Postal Service.
Just before 3 p.m., however, the owner contacted police to let them know he had mistakenly left his briefcase at the post office and there was nothing to fear, according to Rockland Police Chief Bruce Boucher.
No further information was immediately available.