BOMB SCARE
Army experts lock down street over suspicious package
Police and bomb disposal teams locked down a West Lothian street over a security scare.
George Street in Bathgate was cordoned off and evacuated from just after 2.15pm last Thursday afternoon until around 5.30pm after a suspicious package was found in WH Smith.
The bomb squad, several fire engines, ambulances and police cars all attended the scene.
Shopkeeper Colin Stebbing, who owns BG Photography on George Street, said: “The police came in and asked us to leave.
“They said it was an ongoing incident.
They cordoned off WH Smith and asked us to go.”
Officers carried out extensive investigations at the scene and reopened the street on Thursday evening.
It is believed that the suspicious package was an abandoned shopping bag.
A police spokesperson said: “The building and surrounding premises were evacuated as a precaution and a cordon was put in place to ensure the safety of the public while the item was assessed.
“It has now been established that the item posed no risk to the public and the local community are thanked for their patience and cooperation during this time.”
Bathgate councillor Harry Cartmill took to social media after the incident to quell fears about the suspicious package and thank the emergency services for their response.
He said: “Thankfully the suspicious package left in the WH Smith shop in George Street Bathgate facilitating a major alert was simply a forgotten item of food shopping.
“A big thanks to Police Scotland, the Fire and Rescue Service and the Army Bomb disposal Team for acting so promptly and professionally in always keeping us Bathgate Bairns safe.”
Reaction to the incident online was mixed, with some lamenting the waste of emergency services’ time while others adopted a ‘better safe than sorry’ approach.
Heidi Khan wro t e : “Absolute disgrace... God knows how much money and resources were wasted.”
Kimberley Morgan wrote: “I knew it wouldn’t be anything serious but better safe than sorry I suppose.”