A suspicious package delivered to a Yarmouth home Friday turned out to be a hoax similar to several other incidents in Maine.
Yarmouth fire Chief Michael Robitaille said a resident on Oakwood Drive received the package and contacted police around 7:15 p.m. Friday. The delivery contained a test tube of liquid inside a wooden box. An accompanying note made the resident believe the contents were dangerous.
First responders from the Yarmouth police and fire departments were joined by the hazardous materials team from the Brunswick Fire Department, Cumberland County Emergency Management and an inspector from the U.S. Postal Service.
“What we initially felt was a credible threat is probably more of a hoax,” Robitaille said. “The postal service has received similar mail from a similar address and determined them to be hoaxes.”
He could not disclose the return address due to the ongoing investigation. While similar hoaxes have been identified in Maine, Robitaille said this is the first in Yarmouth. The resident appeared to be randomly targeted, Robitaille said.
The package has been turned over to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.
Megan Doyle can be contacted at 791-6327 or at:
mdoyle@pressherald.com
Twitter: megan_e_doyle
Send questions/comments to the editors.
