Police Investigate Suspicious 'Ticking' Package In Galloway Township

Galloway Township, NJ -- A suspicious package was reported outside a business in the Smithville Town Center, 45 South New York Road in the Smithville section of Galloway Township, police said Tuesday afternoon.

Police responded to a 911 call for a mysterious ticking package inside a trash receptacle at about 1:12 p.m., police said.

The area was evacuated, and the Atlantic City Police Bomb Squad was among the agencies that responded to the area. An investigation by the bomb squad determined the package was non-explosive, and it was removed from the area.

Police didn’t say what was in the package that caused the ticking sound. The investigation is ongoing.

The investigation comes one day after police arrested 28-year-old Ahmad Khan Rahami in connection with the weekend bombings in Seaside Park, New Jersey, and the Manhattan neighborhood of Chelsea, as well as the discovery of five explosive devices in Elizabeth.

On Monday, Rahami’s father revealed that he told police his son was a terrorist two years ago.

There was also a report of a mysterious package in Trenton on Tuesday, but that turned out to be a bag of trash.

Other agencies that responded to the scene included the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, Stockton University Police Department, Oceanville Fire Company, Galloway Township Ambulance Squad and Galloway Township Public Works.

Galloway Township Police thanked all agencies that responded to the scene for their assistance.