False alarm: 'Suspicious' item in downtown Bradenton wasn't a bomb, police say

BRADENTON -- Traffic in downtown Bradenton came to a brief standstill Wednesday afternoon as police investigated reports of a possible explosive device that turned out to be a step box for the owner of a pick-up truck.

Just before 2:30 p.m., the Bradenton Police Department ordered traffic to be rdiverted away from the intersection of Manatee Avenue West and 10th Street West as they investigated the suspicious wooden box.

It appeared someone had walked by, thought the box was suspicious and reported it to police. Police officers arrived and spotted "a box sitting on the ground near the driver's side with a white cord leading from the box to the inside of the truck," a police report states.

As a precaution, a permieter was set-up around the truck and nearby buisnesses were evacuated, according to a police report. The Manatee County Sheriff's Office bomb squad was called to respond but before arriving, the owner of the truck and box were located.

Within 15 minutes, the owner of the pickup truck appeared, stepped onto the step box and nothing happened.

Jessica De Leon, Herald law enforcement reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7049. You can follow her on Twitter@JDeLeon1012.

This story was originally published December 9, 2015 at 4:41 PM with the headline "False alarm: 'Suspicious' item in downtown Bradenton wasn't a bomb, police say ."