Mysterious package causes post office evacuation, road closure

Published 5:06 am Wednesday, July 11, 2007

THE PACKAGE IN the Port Angeles post office lobby looked suspicious – no address on the outside, or any markings on the box, for that matter.

The building at 424 E. First St. was evacuated about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, and Port Angeles police detoured traffic off First Street between Peabody and Vine streets.

The post office was blocked into the evening as a postal inspector – and the State Patrol bomb squad from the Puget Sound area – were called in.

After 9 p.m., the suited-up bomb squad X-rayed the package, took it to a back office and found that inside the box was part of a neon sign – possibly in the shape of a top hat.

The street and building were reopened, and the post office kept the package in the hopes that someone will come to claim their neon sign.