Suspicious Bag Detonated In Pleasanton, Turns Out To Be Harmless

PLEASANTON, CA — A suspicious bag in Pleasanton that caused evacuations at local businesses Tuesday was intentionally detonated by bomb squad officials, but in the end turned out to contain only harmless items.

Officers with the Pleasanton Police Department were called out around 2:30 p.m. to 4825 Hopyard Road, near the Gateway Square Shopping Center. For several days, maintenance employees at the location had noticed a bag chained to a pipe at the Chabot Drive entrance to the center, Pleasanton police reported. When the employees finally cut the chain Tuesday, they heard a strange noise from inside the bag, so police were called.

Pleasanton PD contacted the Alameda County Sheriff's Office bomb squad and secured the area.

The sheriff's bomb squad crew ultimately decided to "disrupt the bag with a counter charge" instead of trying to move it, Pleasanton PD reported. At least one nearby office worker sent out a tweet about the "loud explosion."

Once officers were able to safely look inside the detonated bag, they found only clothing, personal items, some glass bottles, and a watch, which may have created the initial cause for concern, PPD said.

No one was injured during the incident and businesses returned to normal activity by 4 p.m. Officers are investigating who the bag belonged to.