NPD MEDIA RELEASE 05/20/08 9:00 a.m.
Incident: Suspicious Object Case: 08N-01755
Location: 811 N Coast Highway
Date/Time: May 19, 2008 at 1:30 p.m.
Victim: US Armed Forces Recruitment Center
Suspect: Unknown
Details: On Monday, May 19, 2008 at about 1:36 p.m., the LinCom 9-1-1 dispatch center received a call of a suspicious package in front of the Armed Forces recruiting offices at 811 N Coast Highway. Newport police officers and Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene. Their assessment was that the object was out of place and suspicious. It was described as a black box, approximately ten inches tall and four inches square. It had German writing on the side.
The recruiting office had been closed for the day. For safety, Doerfler Insurance, next door, was evacuated as was the Exxon gas station to the north. Three lanes of North Coast Highway were closed closest to the site. Traffic was allowed to continue on the east side of the road with one lane north bound and one lane south bound. NW Eighth Street was closed.
The Oregon State Police Bomb Squad was contacted and they responded from Salem. Upon arrival, they safely inspected the box and determined that it did not contain any hazardous material and was being considered a hoax. A Special Agent from the Federal Bureau of Investigation also responded. There have been four previous similar incidents in Oregon during 2007.
The North Coast Highway was fully opened at 5:11 pm. The FBI is handling this investigation and anyone with information is asked to call the FBI Salem office at 503-362-6601. There is a combined $20,000 reward being offered by the FBI and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Additional information can be found at www.fbi.gov/wanted/seekinfo/oregon.htm.
The Newport Police Department was assisted by the Newport Fire Department, Newport Public Works, Newport Police Volunteers, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon Department of Transportation, Oregon State Police, and the FBI..
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Information Released By: Chief Mark J. Miranda, 541-574-3348
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