Suspicious Dangerous Package Sent To Channahon Police: Chief Reveals What It Was

CHANNAHON, IL — Four days after the Channahon Village Hall was shut down and the village board meeting canceled, Channahon Chief of Police Adam Bogart has taken to Facebook to reveal the contents of the suspicious package delivered to his police department.

According to Bogart's announcement:

On Monday, May 5, 2025, a package was delivered to the Channahon Police Department by FedEx. The package was signed for and placed on my desk while I was away. I was not expecting a delivery at the time. However, various items are routinely shipped to the police department to support both our daily operations and long-term initiatives—many of which bear my name.

Several aspects of the package immediately raised my suspicions. It was wrapped in a plastic sheet and covered in dust or other debris. The primary shipping label was faded and largely illegible, and it displayed an incorrect phone number for the police department. Additionally, the package had been relabeled with a second barcode. A red-and-white “FRAGILE” sticker was affixed to the box—an uncommon designation for police department orders. A holographic sticker reading “Thank You for Shopping at My Small Business” was also present, which is unusual since department purchases are not typically made through small business vendors.

When I picked up the box—approximately the size of a large shoebox—it felt unusually heavy for its size, and I could hear and feel a sand-like material shifting inside. Initial attempts to identify the package’s origin and contents using the shipping label were unsuccessful.

Given these observations and the inability to promptly and safely determine the contents of the package, a decision was made to initiate a response consistent with the handling of a potentially hazardous or destructive device. This response included establishing a perimeter around the suspected danger zone, evacuating the police department and Village Hall, and cancelling the regularly scheduled board meeting on May 5, 2025. Public safety communications were also issued.

Officers quickly began working with FedEx security analysts. Those analysts confirmed that the shipping label was suspicious and noted “abnormalities” and “inconsistencies” in the tracking information.

Ultimately, the package was found to contain eight 22-ounce canisters of sugar. A few of the canisters had broken open, accounting for the sand-like noise and feel when the package was moved.

Although an order for sugar had been placed through the police department’s Amazon business account weeks earlier, the vendor and distributor associated with the delivery differed from those linked to the suspicious package. During a visual inspection on May 9, 2025, FedEx security partners concluded that the shipping label appeared to have been “washed” and deliberately altered.

According to Amazon’s purchase records, FedEx assumed responsibility for the delivery. However, as of this release, that original sugar order remains in a “Delayed” and “In-Transit” status. This supports the theory that the altered label may have been used to obscure the true origin of the package—potentially to conceal that the contents were damaged, stolen, or expired goods.

FedEx has since launched an internal investigation. At this time, our assessment is that the package was the result of fraudulent activity involving third-party sellers on Amazon, who may be exploiting the platform to facilitate deliveries using altered shipping labels.

I remain fully committed to the safety of everyone in the Village of Channahon, including our officers and Village staff. While we are grateful that this incident does not appear to be part of a broader threat, it serves as a critical reminder of the importance of vigilance and preparedness—even in the face of uncertainty