Bomb Threat

Early yesterday afternoon, a report was received that a suspicious package had been placed in the mailbox on the front steps of the courthouse. Courthouse security personnel called the Lowell Police who assessed the situation and decided it would be prudent to evacuate the building and call in the bomb squad to investigate further. All of the building’s occupants, especially the registry employees, cleared out of the building in an orderly and rapid fashion. The specialists were coming from a distant location, so we decided to formally close the building for the day and to send employees home at about 3:30 P.M. Members of the bomb squad arrived, suited up in their protective gear and thoroughly investigated the area. Fortunately, it was a false alarm and the all clear sounded at about 5:00 P.M. We were able to open for business as usual this morning at our normal time. A few customers did show up to record late yesterday afternoon, but with all the police cars, fire trucks, ambulances and assorted other vehicles parked around the building plus the yellow crime scene tape conspicuously draped across the sidewalks and Gorham Street, no one seemed too upset that they weren’t able to get inside the building. Many commuters were delayed by the traffic tie ups that occurred due to the closure of Gorham Street, but most seemed more curious than upset by the inconvenience. With the recent terrorist activity in London, security and safety are foremost in most peoples’ minds. And with the history of this building – a domestic terrorist group set off a bomb on the front steps back in 1976 – we are always cognizant of suspicious packages and unattended briefcases.