A portion of Regent Street was cordoned off on Wednesday afternoon (Image: Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Various shops and buildings in Regent Street, in central London, were evacuated on Wednesday, January 8, in light of an alleged bomb threat.
A section of the busy area was cordoned off by officers after police rushed to the road. The cordon was in place between Conduit Street and Vigo Street, reports.
A video shared on the social media platform X shows dozens of people in the street near the police cordon, with a police vehicle parked just outside the area and officers in attendance.
An office worker claimed to MyLondon that he had been informed about the alleged threat at about 1.10pm on Wednesday, and was told to evacuate the building some eight minutes later.
Westminster Police officers investigated “a suspicious vehicle” and carried out a “number of controlled explosions” as a precautionary measure, a statement by the force said.
The force later added the incident was “stood down” after the vehicle was “found to be non-suspicious”.
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Westminster Police issues update
In a new statement shared on X, Westminster Police informed the public that the vehicle investigated by the force’s officer was found to be “non-suspicious”.
The statement read: “This incident has now been fully stood down.
“The vehicle was found to be non-suspicious.”
Pictures from the scene
Police officers were photographed in the cordoned-off area.
Police officers rushed to Regent Street on Wednesday afternoon (Image: Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Some buildings were evacuated (Image: Leon Neal/Getty Images)
The section of Regent Street closed off
Police temporarily cordoned off the area of Regent Street between Conduit Street and Vigo Street in both directions.
The closure prompted traffic congestion in the already heavily congested area, as well as the diversion of some buses, according to traffic monitoring service INRIX.
Video showing police cordon
A video showing police cordon was shared on X.
Whatu2019s happening on regent street at the moment ?
u2014 Bon (@bonnar_fulton)
Members of the public led towards Oxford Circus during evacuation
As the precautionary evacuation was taking place, members of the public were asked to leave the scene and go towards Oxford Circus, a cardinal area in central London, reports.
Police carry out ‘number of controlled explosions’
Westminster Police issued a statement on the alleged bomb threat.
Writing on X, the force said: “Road closures are in place in the vicinity of Regent Street and New Burlington Street while officers investigate a suspicious vehicle.
“Officers have carried out a number of controlled explosions as a precautionary measure.”
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