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Westfield Sunrise Mall Evacuated for Suspicious Package

Westfield Sunrise Mall in Massapequa was evacuated for a bomb scare after a suspicious package was found on Monday evening, Nassau County police said.

A mall employee saw a 31-year-old woman acting incoherently, carrying two suitcases and a shopping bag leave the packages unattended near Sunrise Jewelers and walked away shortly before 6 p.m.

The mall was evacuated as a precaution after police officers took the unidentified incoherent woman into custody in another part of the mall and called in the Arson/Bomb Squad out of concern for the contents of the abandoned packages.

“Better safe than sorry,” said a Walmart employee who declined to give his name after watching the bomb squad robot in action on the east side of the mall on Sunrise Highway.

Police said the packages were determined not to be a threat around 8 p.m., when the mall was reopened.

Mall security referred calls to management, which was unavailable for comment Monday evening.

The woman was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.