Update

GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - Police have released more details on this afternoon’s bomb threat in Caledon Street.

An employee of a large store in the street received a call from an unknown male soon after 14:00, stating that there was a bomb in the store. The employee immediately told the store manager, who contacted the police.

Senior officers were dispatched to the street, and other nearby shops were evacuated as a precaution. The stretch of Caledon Street between the Grootkerk and Bourke Street was cordoned off, and terrified shoppers fled from the area.

The local K9 unit were also quickly on the scene with the dog trained to find explosives, but nothing was detected. The search continued, and later the Explosives Unit from Port Elizabeth (the closest unit) arrived to take over control of the search.

The street remained cordoned off at 19:00, but shortly after this the members of the Explosives Unit finished searching the area and declared it to be safe.

“Members of the public who arrived just to see what was happening not only hindered the work of the police, but also obviously had scant regard for their own safety,” said a police spokesperson.

Read a previous article: Businesses evacuated after bomb threat

'We bring you the latest Graaff-Reinet, Karoo news'