Melissa Bailey Photo
(Updated) Two men tied a package containing what they claimed was a bomb to a fence at a downtown parking garage Monday afternoon. Police closed off the block — and found out the “bomb” was just a bag of bus tickets.
A passerby spotted two men around 1:45 p.m. tying the small package to the bottom of the fence at the Elm Street entrance to the underground parking lot that runs below City Hall. The fence is next to the entrance of Webster Bank, as well.
When the passerby asked what they were doing, one responded, “putting the [expletive] bomb there,” according to Rick Fontana, head of the city’s emergency management department.
The passerby called police, who arrived on scene shortly after, according to Lt. Jeff Hoffman (pictured).
Attorney Rick Silverstein made it through the crime scene just before Sgt. John Rodican Jr. taped it off.
Police promptly closed off Elm Street between Church and Orange.
Shortly after Sgt. John Rodican Jr. taped off the crime scene, …
… a boy on a bike burst through, and was quickly reproached by cops.
At 2:15 p.m., Officer Jason Salgado (pictured) of the police department’s bomb squad put on his 90-pound EOD 9 bomb suit to prepare to investigate the package.
At 3 p.m., Lt. Jeff Hoffman declared the package harmless. Police reopened the street.
The “bomb” turned out to be a black plastic bag filled with bus transfer tickets, according to city spokeswoman Anna Mariotti. She said surveillance cameras in the tunnel that leads to the garage (pictured) may have captured the incident.
The two alleged bomb-planters were reported at large, last seen at State & Elm streets.
Police are looking for them based on what are initially vague descriptions: one male is white and “homeless-looking,” the other of uncertain race with salt-and-pepper hair, according to Hoffman.
“This is a serious criminal act,” Hoffman said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the police at 203 – 946-6316.