MONROE – A suspicious boot closed the post office Tuesday.
The boot was one of two suspicious packages found near government buildings, bringing federal agents into Monroe.
A suspicious box was located outside the state Department of Social and Health Services building.
Investigators didn’t know Tuesday if the packages were related or why they were left at government buildings. No note was found at either location, Monroe police spokeswoman Jan O’Neil said.
Police also didn’t know if the packages were connected to the elections. Neither location was a polling station.
“If the idea was to keep absentee ballots from going out, that failed,” O’Neil said, adding the post office still collected mail Tuesday.
Although the packages didn’t contain explosives, their elaborate design worried police.
“Occasionally bomb threats are called in. This one is unusual because of how carefully these were made. It’s very concerning to us,” O’Neil said.
A postal worker found the boot about 5:30 a.m. inside the lobby at 122 N. Blakely St., O’Neil said. The employee could see an aerosol container and battery inside the boot.
About two hours later a suspicious package was located outside a door at the state DSHS building, 19705 U.S. 2.
FBI agents were called to the post office since it is a federal building. They also agreed to investigate the box left at the state building.
As a precautionary measure Monroe police checked all government buildings, schools and public areas. Nothing was found.
Monroe police, the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service continued to investigate Tuesday
Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or the Monroe police tip line at 360-863-4600.
Reporter Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463 or hefley@heraldnet.com.
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