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The Shires re-opens after bomb squad blow suspect package up

4:05pm Thursday 30th December 2010 in News By Rachel Allen

Police move crwds away from The Shires Police move crwds away from The Shires

Shoppers and staff have been allowed back into The Shires shopping centre in Trowbridge after bomb disposal experts blew up an abandoned suitcase shortly before 3.30pm today.

The controlled explosion was initiated by the Royal Logistics Corps bomb disposal squad based in Tidworth.

They used a bomb disposal robot which entered The Shires and blew the black suitcase up causing slight damage to Halifax store window, near where the bag was left.

The centre was evacuated at 1.50pm not long after Wiltshire Police were told of the suspicious package.

Roads were then cordoned off at the junction of Castle Street and Market Street, Castle Street and Fore Street for pedestrian safety and to stop cars driving through.

The Shires manager John Grinnell said: "We were notified by a member of Halifax of a suitcase that had been left in the corner of the bank.

Our emergency procedures were immediately put into pace and the police were called. The shopping centre was evacuated at about 1.50pm.

"The package was treated as 'suspicious' and once shoppers and centre staff cleared the centre, the police were left to deal with the situation.

"It is not known whether it was just a hoax, or someone had forgotten to pick up the suitcase as they left the bank, but we take all such situations seriously and have an evacuation procedure which was carried out successfully.

"The centre was very busy so credit must go to everyone who helped with the evacuation and to the public for their patience and understanding."

The centre and the roads have since been reopened.

Comments(18)

melmel1987 says...
4:58pm Thu 30 Dec 10

aww i bet someone was just popping into the bank to change some money up before going to catch a flight for their new year hols and forgot their suitcase. Now theiry stuck at the airport suitcaseless!

couldnt the bank have checked CCTV to see if it was left there suspiciously?

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paul smeeton says...
8:05pm Thu 30 Dec 10

always somethick.in trow

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Not Kate Price says...
8:07pm Thu 30 Dec 10

was it really necessary to re-open the shires?

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trowbridge_resi says...
9:24pm Thu 30 Dec 10

Complete over reaction and waste of time and money. Who's going to blow up a bank in a small town? Bit of common sense would have seen the bag opened up to see what it was.

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sat all back of the bus says...
7:52am Fri 31 Dec 10

hoax or forggotten suitcase , it would seem that the powers that are , deem it very likely our peaceful shores are still under a great threat of a terrorist attack . Proberbly not trowbridge , i think the people of the Royal Logistics Corps bomb disposal squad based in Tidworth , deserve a pat on the back along with every one else that delt with the incident , ensureing the safty of the public . I agree with Yokel Local redevelopement does need to be started ....... Happy New Year 2011

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royaljelly says...
8:58am Fri 31 Dec 10

A very good point about all the hard work from our emergency services to keep the public safe.Well done.

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old bert says...
8:45am Sun 2 Jan 11

If it HAD been a bomb left in Trowbridge, there's about 15,000 suspects in melksham alone!

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cherryhoskins says...
4:22pm Tue 4 Jan 11

Feel sorry for the individual who owned the suitcase and inadvertently who maybe left it behind after withdrawing some holiday cash.

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goodpuss says...
1:26pm Wed 5 Jan 11

Who'd want to blow up a bank in Trowbridge? No-one.
Who'd want to make a massive impact by killing and maiming ordinary people as they go about their lives in a small town in Wiltshire?
Could be the same people who blew up an ordinary high street in a small town called Inniskillin, a military band playing in a city park.
Members of the same group who tried to blow up a UK mainland airport....etc.
Damned if they do - damned if they don't.
Thank you for your efforts on our behalf, Security & Wilts Police.
I'd rather pay for 10 false alarms than ignore the one that kills people.

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goodpuss says...
1:26pm Wed 5 Jan 11

Who'd want to blow up a bank in Trowbridge? No-one.
Who'd want to make a massive impact by killing and maiming ordinary people as they go about their lives in a small town in Wiltshire?
Could be the same people who blew up an ordinary high street in a small town called Inniskillin, a military band playing in a city park.
Members of the same group who tried to blow up a UK mainland airport....etc.
Damned if they do - damned if they don't.
Thank you for your efforts on our behalf, Security & Wilts Police.
I'd rather pay for 10 false alarms than ignore the one that kills people.

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Wheelies says...
11:27pm Wed 5 Jan 11

goodpuss wrote:
Who'd want to blow up a bank in Trowbridge? No-one.
Who'd want to make a massive impact by killing and maiming ordinary people as they go about their lives in a small town in Wiltshire?
Could be the same people who blew up an ordinary high street in a small town called Inniskillin, a military band playing in a city park.
Members of the same group who tried to blow up a UK mainland airport....etc.
Damned if they do - damned if they don't.
Thank you for your efforts on our behalf, Security & Wilts Police.
I'd rather pay for 10 false alarms than ignore the one that kills people.
completely agree!!!!

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Freezer says...
2:30pm Thu 6 Jan 11

Better to be safe than sorry as the saying goes. On another note; the 4th picture above, and also a statement in the report, says that the RLC blew the suitcase up. The policeman is carrying an intact suitcase though!!!!

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Mr Happy! says...
4:00pm Thu 6 Jan 11

Not Kate Price wrote:
was it really necessary to re-open the shires?
My thought exactly...

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frankie007 says...
4:57pm Thu 6 Jan 11

Freezer wrote:
Better to be safe than sorry as the saying goes. On another note; the 4th picture above, and also a statement in the report, says that the RLC blew the suitcase up. The policeman is carrying an intact suitcase though!!!!
When they said they blew it up, perhaps they meant inflated.

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frankie007 says...
5:01pm Thu 6 Jan 11

My missus reckons that she read somewhere that it was actually a bomb & if it had detonated it would have caused serious damage as far as greggs & the same distance in other directions, but she can't back it up. Can anyone confirm it.

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rikkid97 says...
5:19pm Fri 7 Jan 11

I can confirm that it was not a device (BOMB) it was an empty case and the case was shot hence the damage to the window of the bank.

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frankie007 says...
5:23pm Fri 7 Jan 11

Thanks mate.

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rikkid97 says...
5:30pm Fri 7 Jan 11

your welcome, some people had a winge about the action taken over the suspect package but its better to be safe at the end of the day thats what the bomb disposal is there for if you go up and tamper with it and it is a live device think of the lifes and damage it could cause would be worce than not been able to go in the shires for a a few hours.

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