The NYPD has closed down part of Manhattan’s Times Square in response to a report of a suspicious vehicle, CBS News reports.
Police blocked off Broadway at 42nd Street just after 11 a.m. Wednesday to investigate a white 1992 Dodge van with tinted windows that has been parked at the location for two days.
The NYPD’s emergency service unit and bomb squad are at the scene investigating.
The van has temporary plates and a tarp is covering the windows, police say.
Further details will be posted as they become available.
UPDATE: The suspicious white van parked in the heart of Times Square has been deemed harmless. The 1992 Dodge with tinted windows and no license plates prompted the NYPD to evacuate high-rises and send out bomb squads the day before New Year’s Eve. All evacuated buildings and affected transit services have resumed normal activity.
A placard from a nonexistent law enforcement agency was reportedlyn on the dashboard, WCBSTV reported.
Pedestrians in and around the Crossroads of the World were being told to keep it moving while the investigation was undergoing.
Extra New Year’s Eve security may have triggered the response.
Police said they are especially vigilant in advance of Thursday’s celebration.
“Its presence in Times Square just before New Year’s Eve causes us concern, and that’s why we’re taking extra precautions,” said chief NYPD spokesman Paul J. Browne.
The city’s transit agency said several train lines were bypassing 42nd Street, including the N, R and W lines. The crosstown shuttle train had also been suspended.(Source: WCBSTV / YWN Desk – NYC)
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7 Responses
Good! Dont play games.
How could it be parked for 2 days and not ticketed and towed??????
It may have not been parked in a metered spot. Perhaps a parking lot attendant realized no one claimed the vehicle, but the temp plates and tarp covered windows were the cause of concern.
So can we call this story a “systematic success?”
What was the point of blocking of the streets and evacuating everybody?
nir are you listening? in the city you call yourself the mayor of there are HUNDREDS of abandoned cars in the streets and there are allot of ‘volunteers’ around available to ‘fix them up’. i know of several that have not moved in 2-3 YEARS! maybe if you see this story in the news you will wake up and do something about it. how many times can we call you about the same vehicle?? you dont do anything!
the point of blocking the streets and evacuating everyone was because they didnt know initially that it was harmless. if it HAD exploded and they had NOT felt the need to block streets and evacuate people, you would have asked why didnt they take the proper precautions. you cant have it both ways.