UPDATE: Bomb Squad Called to Banning for 'Suspicious Package' at IHOP

The scene outside 730 W Ramsey Street on Nov. 16, 2015. Patch photos by Renee Schiavone.

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Update 1:44 p.m.:

Banning Police Chief Alex Diaz tells Patch that the scene has been cleared, the object removed and the restaurant allowed to reopen Monday afternoon.

Diaz says the object in question turned out to be a briefcase containing document, with “...no signs of any explosive device.”

Everything was cleared by 1:30 p.m., he said.

Update 12:15 p.m.:

The Riverside County Sheriff’s bomb squad is making contact with the ‘suspicous package’ at this time. Banning Police Chief Alex Diaz tells Patch they are being “extra cautious” due to recent events in Paris.

Original:

A local restaurant was evacuated and blocked off as Banning police investigate a suspicious package left outside, Patch has learned.

The unknown object was found just before 8 a.m., and the IHOP restaurant on Ramsey Street was evacuated shortly thereafter, according to police on scene.

Riverside County sheriff’s officials confirm to Patch that their bomb squad has just arrived at the location to check out the package.

Banning-Beaumont Patch will update this breaking news story as more information becomes available.