Authorities remove potential explosive device from parking lot of Walmart in Indiana

SCHERERVILLE, Ind. — A Walmart in northwestern Indiana was evacuated on Saturday after two cans wrapped in duct tape with wires sticking out of them were discovered in the store’s parking lot, authorities said.

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According to a Facebook post by the Schererville Police Department, officers responded at about 5 p.m. CDT after receiving a call about a bomb threat at the suburban Chicago store.

The Porter County bomb squad was called to the scene to investigate the item, Cmdr. Kevin Wagner told the Times of Northwest Indiana. An employee found what appeared to be an explosive device in the store parking lot, Schererville police Chief Pete Sormaz told the newspaper.

“Upon arrival, two cans wrapped in duct tape with wires sticking out of both cans were located,” Schererville police wrote on Facebook.

The parking lot was cleared and officers with the bomb squad took the cans for further investigation, WLS-TV reported.

Customers were asked to remain inside the store as a safety precaution, Sormaz told the Times. The parking lot reopened at about 7:20 p.m. CDT, WFLD-TV reported.

Police said the incident was an isolated one, according to its Facebook post. An investigation is ongoing.