Shoppers evacuated and bomb squad called to suspicious package at Prospect Place in Kent
SHOPPERS have been evacuated and bomb squad army officers have rushed to the scene after a ‘suspicious package’ was found outside a Pizza Hut.
Cops ordered people out of Prospect Place in Dartford, Kent, with the shopping centre placed into lockdown.
A large number of cops and vehicles arrived at the scene just before lunchtime today.
One witness, who was in TK Maxx in Prospect Place at around 12.15pm, said the alarm went off and the shop was evacuated.
They have been told a 100-metre exclusion zone has been put in place and shoppers were unable to move their vehicles from the car park.
Kent Police confirmed British Army explosives experts were attending the scene and a bomb disposal robot was spotted.
Several police vans were seen arriving and a cordon was set up, with bomb squad and army officers getting in place.
Another witness, who was in Costa at the time and ordered to leave the building by police, said: “I was just having a drink when a man in a hi-vis came in and the whole place was being evacuated within three minutes.
“I looked up the road and saw police blocking the entrance of the retail park and putting blue and white tape up.
“There is a blue car in the cordon with a bag and satchel next to it officers were looking at.”
Lewis Perry, who works at a nearby KwikFit garage that has been cordoned off, was told by officers they won’t be able to return for around four hours.
He said: “They came in at around about 11 and told us we had to get out because of a suspicious package.
“I looked out the window and could see people being escorted out of Pizza Hut.
“Police were taking their car keys from them and driving cars out of the car park themselves.”
A Kent Police spokesman said: “Kent Police has set up a Cordon around Prospect Place, Dartford, following the discovery of a suspicious package just before 11.30am on Wednesday, April 26, 2023.
“Officers remain on scene and British Army explosives experts are due to attend.”