THE north end of Times Square in New York was evacuated and shut down this afternoon after a “suspicious package” was reported just after midday.
But it was just a scare, there was no real bomb.
A report in the New York Times said normality was returned the bustling section of New York City after members of the bomb squad said the canvas bag contained bottled water, books and a gift package wrapped in pink tissue paper.
The police acted "in an abundance of caution," said NYPD spokesman Paul Browne.
The bomb scare took place just about a half a block from where a car bomb was found Saturday, adding to the panic.
A bomb squad robot completed its X-ray of the suspicious cooler, but it turned out to be a false alarm.
Since the foiled car bomb attack last Saturday in Times Square, the number of "suspicious package" calls to the NYPD has increased.
Between Sunday and Wednesday, police have checked out 493 suspicious packages, compared with 381 in the same period last year, according to Wall Street Journal.
The police is yet to provide any details about the incident or about the contents of the alleged bomb, but some streets around the popular tourist site have been cleared.
Video of Times Square Evacuation due to the bomb scare.
