After the San Bernardino mass shooting, many Southern California residents were on edge about suspicious packages. The LAPD bomb squad weighed in on what to do in that situation. Ted Chen reports for the NBC4 News at 5 & 6 on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2015.
In the week following the San Bernardino mass shooting and subsequent scares in Southern California regarding suspicious packages, the Los Angeles Police Department's bomb squad weighed in on what to look for and what to do if a suspicious package is spotted.
The LAPD said technology continues to improve. Bomb robots are more mobile. They can go upstairs or shrink to fit down the aisle of an airplane. But nothing replaces human intuition, and good judgement.
Things to look for with suspicious packages:
- Excessive postage
- No return address
- Oily stains or discolorations
- Excessive weight
- Protruding wires or tinfoil
Questions to ask yourself:
- Is the package vibrating or beeping?
- Does the package have a strange smell?
- Is the package located in a place where it shouldn't be?
Raise awareness if the package is dropped off in front of the following places: police station, DMV, courthouse, city council member's house, mosque, church, and synagogue.
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"Trust your judgment," Det. Paul Robi of the LAPD bomb squad said. "If it's strange or weird to you, guess what -- it's weird to me too."
What to do:
Don't touch it, don't move it - just get away from it and notify the authorities.
The FBI also provided information on what to do if a package is located, which can be found here.
Contact information:
Emergency: 911
Non-Emergency: 877-ASK-LAPD
LAPD's Counter Terrorism Bureau: (323) 342-4267
