A masked man pushed a child’s pram containing an object in black bin bag against the compound of a building site in Portadown on Friday morning.
NI Water Service were working to upgrade water mains in the Churchill Park area, it was here against a compound, with basic toilet facilities, where the suspicious buggy, which contained a number of wires, was left.
Ammunition Technical Officers were called to the scene.
Speaking to Armagh I, Sinn Fein Councillor Paul Duffy said: “It was left against the fence of the compound, one of the work men had seen it and contacted the police. This was left by a masked man who he ran away.
“The police sealed off the area around 11 o’clock. When the bomb squad arrived they went down and investigated it, before declaring it a hoax. It looked like some part of a boiler or a machine they took away.”
He continued: “People in the community, who I was speaking to from a distance, were disgusted at it, everyone has more than enough to worry about without the likes of that.
“It is also wasting police resources and time, which could be earmarked elsewhere; there is enough to be worrying.”
A PSNI spokesperson said: “A security alert in Portadown has now ended.
“Police responded to the report of a suspicious object in the Churchill Park area of Portadown this morning (Friday, March 27th).
“Police along with ATO (Ammunition Technical Officers) attended the scene, examined the object which has now been declared a hoax.”
Inspector Gregory Beckett said: “We would like to thank the local community for their patience. Keeping people safe is of paramount importance.
“We are also appealing to anyone with information that could assist our enquiries to call the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 265 of 27/03/20.
“We would encourage anyone who finds a suspicious object to leave it where it is and report to police immediately.”
“Information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.”
