Cops: Suspicious cases turn out harmless

Authorities took the threat of two separate suspicious cases seriously Wednesday, only to find them both harmless.

Nassau County's Arson/ Bomb Squad investigated a suspicious package Wednesday, just after noon, at a Levittown bank, only to find it was a briefcase with personal papers left behind by a forgetful store customer, police said.

Arson/Bomb Squad personnel went to the HSBC Bank at 3130 Hempstead Tpke. at about 12:09 p.m. and found a briefcase in front of the building, according to a news release.

Investigators quickly determined the package was not a threat, and during their probe the owner of the briefcase came back to retrieve it, police said.

Police said the man had gone into a business adjacent to the bank, left his briefcase outside and then left the area, forgetting the briefcase.

The Levittown "suspicious package" incident was the second reported on Long Island Wednesday.

Riverhead Town Police received a call at about 8:30 a.m. about a suitcase left at the Internal Revenue Service building on East Main Street in Riverhead, according to a news release from the department.

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A security officer reported a suspicious suitcase, and when Town police arrived at the scene they found a suitcase under an air-conditioning unit behind the building.

The Suffolk County Emergency Services/Bomb unit responded and used a robot to open a suitcase after an X-ray showed an electronic device inside.

Police said they found assorted clothing and "harmless items" inside.