'Suspicious Package' at Batavia Post Office Was Just Weights

The "suspicious package" found at the Batavia Post Office Thursday morning turned out to be lifting weights, officials said.

The package of weights was dropped off sometime Wednesday evening in the Automated Postal Center kiosk in the post office's lobby, the Daily Herald reports. The lobby area of the post office is open 24/7.

Postal workers said they heard a "ticking sound" coming from the package, Beverly Howard, Postal Service customer relations coordinator, told the Kane County Chronicle. The Postal Inspection Service was called to the scene, followed by Batavia police and the Kane County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad at 5:19 a.m. Thursday.

Officials were able to contact the sender, who was trying to send it to someone in West Virginia, the Daily Herald's story said. They also x-rayed the package and others that were in the same bin to determine that they were safe.

Service lines at the Batavia Post Office, 500 N. Randall Road, were open for business Thursday by their usual 8:30 a.m. starting time.

See our initial updates below:

8:30 a.m. Feb. 21

The "suspicious package" incident at the Batavia Post Office this morning is now resolved, police said.

"Bomb Squad determined that the package was just a package," the Batavia Police Department said in a brief message at 8:17 a.m. "No(thing) further at this time."

Vehicle and pedestrian traffic is open again in the area of the post office. The stretch of Mill Street that provides access to the post office was completely shut down during the incident.

Police did not immediately disclose the contents of the package, or if the package actually had anything inside of it. Patch will post an update if more information is released.

8:12 a.m. Feb. 21

A suspicious package was discovered this morning (Thursday, Feb. 21) at the Batavia Post Office, police said.

"The Kane County Sheriff’s Office Bomb squad is assisting Batavia Police at the Batavia Post Office regarding a suspicious package," said Lt. Pat Gengler, Kane County Sheriff's Office spokesman, in a brief written statement. The statement was released at 7:26 a.m. Thursday.

Police have the area around the post office, located at 500 N. Randall Road (northeast corner of Randall and Mill Street), blocked off for safety and as a precaution. Batavia police paged the county bomb squad sometime before 6:30 a.m., according to initial scanner reports.

A few news media helicopters were heard and spotted overhead to provide coverage and images for the broadcast television networks.

"Bomb technicians have asked that any of the news helicopters please back off of the scene a bit," Gengler said in his 7:26 a.m. statement.

Further details from official sources on this incident were not immediately available. Patch will post updates as new information is released.

If you have any pictures of the incident, or are near the Batavia Post Office this morning, please e-mail charles.menchaca@patch.com.

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