Bomb Scare Shuts Down Ventura Blvd.

Because of multiple bomb threats in conjunction with the discovery of a suspicious package found at 3:15 today at the Chase Bank branch at 13949 Ventura Blvd. at Colbath, police  evacuated the bank and nearby businesses, including the McDonald’s next door, as well as the entire 13900 block of Ventura Blvd.

Employees of McDonald’s as well as Chase both sat and stood in the shade of city trees for more than two hours, as police surveyed the area and a bomb squad examined the package.

According to Los Angeles police Officer Karen Rayner, the package at the heart of this scare was a backpack. When the bomb squad finally was able to examine it more than two hours after it had been discovered, it contained only "personal items,'' she said.   

Just before 6 pm tonight, police re-opened the street.