Bethlehem Pa June 29 2013![]()
Authorities were considering closing roads near the garage, radio reports indicated. Sands security was attempting to limit access to the garage from the casino and police were controlling access from the outside, radio reports said.
The suitcase was first reported about 1:11 this afternoon propped up against a wall on the first floor of the garage, radio reports said. It had been there for about 20 minutes, a caller told authorities.
It had been dropped off by a vehicle that was circling the area and then left, radio reports said.
Authorities were trying to determine how many floors of the garage would be impacted. The first floor was evacuated within 300 feet of the suitcase and the same thing was going to be done on the second and third floors, radio reports said. An area of the casino directly behind the garage wall was also evacuated, radio reports said.
"This is going to be long and dirty," one responder said.
One patron didn't seem to mind at all.
Bernie Morrissey said he and his wife, who live in Harrisburg, were visiting friends in Emmaus and stopped by the casino. He said they were ready to leave but were forced to stay because of the garage lockdown.
He said the announcement telling them to stay put didn't make him nervous.
"I'm not a very excitable person," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if this were a scheme to keep us here."
He plans to make the best of the inconvenience.
"I'm going home with $20,000," he said. "That's my prediction."
Source-lehighvalleylive.com
The suitcase was first reported about 1:11 this afternoon propped up against a wall on the first floor of the garage, radio reports said. It had been there for about 20 minutes, a caller told authorities.
It had been dropped off by a vehicle that was circling the area and then left, radio reports said.
Authorities were trying to determine how many floors of the garage would be impacted. The first floor was evacuated within 300 feet of the suitcase and the same thing was going to be done on the second and third floors, radio reports said. An area of the casino directly behind the garage wall was also evacuated, radio reports said.
"This is going to be long and dirty," one responder said.
One patron didn't seem to mind at all.
Bernie Morrissey said he and his wife, who live in Harrisburg, were visiting friends in Emmaus and stopped by the casino. He said they were ready to leave but were forced to stay because of the garage lockdown.
He said the announcement telling them to stay put didn't make him nervous.
"I'm not a very excitable person," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if this were a scheme to keep us here."
He plans to make the best of the inconvenience.
"I'm going home with $20,000," he said. "That's my prediction."
Source-lehighvalleylive.com