POLICE have confirmed a suspect will be investigated in the alleged bomb scare at Davenport Square, Glenwood this afternoon.
Reports of the bomb scare at the busy centre spread like wildfire on social media, shortly after noon. However centre security at the scene and police did not disclose any details of what was happening at the centre.
Lieutenant Pumzile Makaula, communications officer at Umbilo SAPS confirmed that police were investigating an alleged bomb scare however, nobody was injured. “Police are now investigating a suspect’s home,” she added.
A source at the scene told Berea Mail the incident was “not a bomb threat.” “No-one called in a threat to the centre. An incendiary device or chemicals in a parcel that a customer was attempting to post at the store went off and burnt behind the counter. The attendant standing next to it at the time was uninjured,” he explained.
The source said the use of the words “bomb threat” was causing unnecessary panic. “Everyone was merrily going about their business in the centre – oblivious to what was going on in PostNet. From this, and the lack of injuries to the person standing directly next to it at the time, I can’t imagine the reported explosion was earth-shattering. Due to the nature of the incident, the SAPS Explosive Unit was called in,” he added.
The SAPS Explosives Unit and the Fire department are still currently at the scene outside the PostNet store. The centre remains open and only the Post Net is closed while explosives unit officers investigate.
