An object that was left in a Toronto neighbourhood as part of a geocaching game created a bomb scare Thursday, tying up police officers, paramedics and firefighters for almost three hours.
Someone notified police about a suspicious package, which was found on Prince Edward Drive, just north of Bloor Street West, shortly after 10 a.m.
Initially, there were fears the package may be a pipe bomb.
As a precaution, police brought in the bomb disposal unit, including a robot, to inspect the package and figure out whether it was an explosive device.
More than two hours later, investigators determined the object posed no threat to the public and was left in the neighbourhood for a geocaching game.
Like a scavenger hunt for grown-ups, geocaching is an outdoor activity where participants use a GPS to hide and seek containers, dubbed "geocaches," with other players. Clues about the object's location are shared on the Internet.
While it may seem like a humorous turn of events, police said the incident is no laughing matter because it tied up police, fire and EMS resources for a few hours, preventing them from responding to legitimate calls for service.
Emergency personnel cleared the scene at about 2 p.m.
With files from CP24's Katie Simpson
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