Posted: 11:32 GMT, October 28, 2020 | Update: 12:51 GMT, October 28, 2020
Buyers were evacuated from a West London shopping center this morning as police were called to report a bomb threat
Metropolitan Police said the threat was made to a John Lewis store in the Bentall Center department store in Kingston-upon-Thames just before 10 a.m.
Officers closed the Kingston Bridge and surrounding roads, but a force spokesperson said the incident was ‘not supposed to be terrorism-related’
A spokesperson for the John Lewis group told MailOnline that its John Lewis and Waitrose stores had been evacuated ‘in accordance with police instructions’
It has not been confirmed if the entire mall has been closed The Bentall Center department store has refused to provide more information
An eyewitness to the evacuation told MailOnline they were shopping in Waitrose around 9 a.m.30h when a tannoy told buyers to leave « for safety reasons »
In a statement, the Met said: ‘At approximately 9 a.m. on Wednesday, October 28 at 47 a.m., police were contacted by a department store on Wood Street, Kingston, where a bomb threat had been received
Buyers were evacuated from a West London shopping center this morning as police were called to report a bomb threat
Metropolitan Police said the threat was made to a John Lewis store in the Bentall Center department store in Kingston-upon-Thames just before 10 a.m.
‘The store has been evacuated and the London Ambulance Service is present as a precaution No injuries have been reported
A number of closures, including the Kingston Bridge, are in place as officers search the grounds Requests continue
A spokesperson for John Lewis said: ‘We can confirm that our John Lewis and Waitrose stores in Kingston were evacuated this morning as per police instructions
‘The safety of our customers and partners is our top priority and we are working closely with the emergency services handling the situation’
Kingston Council said: ‘This morning Council was briefed on reports of a bomb threat at the John Lewis Department Store in downtown Kingston
Richmond Council Chief Gareth Roberts tweeted: « There appears to be an alert about a suspicious device in the #Kingston Town Center – not yet confirmed »
‘The store has been evacuated and cordoned off, and a number of road closures are in place, including Wood Street and Kingston Bridge
‘Please avoid the area until further notice The safety of our residents is our priority and we are working closely with the Metropolitan Police, the London Ambulance Service and other authorities as investigations continue’
Richmond Council Chief Gareth Roberts tweeted: ‘There appears to be an alert regarding a suspicious device in #Kingston Town Center – not yet confirmed
« But it’s causing a LOT of disruption, so if you can AVOID the area, PLEASE DO! »
BBC Radio London Travel has warned of delays on London Road, Portsmouth Road and Wheatfield Way due to road closures at Wood Street and Kingston Bridge
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SOURCE: https://www.w24news.com
