A white man wearing a burqa was arrested yesterday after police detonated a suspicious device in Watford’s town centre.
He was stopped by detectives while carrying two rucksacks stuffed with children’s books, one of them branded with the popular television character Peppa Pig.
A large part of the centre of the London commuter belt town was evacuated as army bomb disposal experts and a bomb disposal robot were called to the scene.
Office workers were told to stay indoors as police closed off Market Street and Watford High Street, while people in the area were ordered to take refuge in a nearby church.
Hertfordshire Constabulary said bomb disposal workers had “safely destroyed” the device.
“At just after 11am today (Thursday, June 18) police were called to Watford following a report that a suspicious item had been found,” said a spokesman.
“The device, found in Market Street, was safely destroyed following a controlled explosion by bomb disposal experts based with the army.
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“Experts remain at the scene making further assessments and follow up enquiries.
“This work is likely to continue for some while and, as a precaution, cordons and road closures in Market Street and the High Street will remain in place. The ring road has also been closed to traffic.”
The spokesman added: “Public safety is at the forefront of the police operation and we would ask people to avoid the centre of Watford until further notice.
“As part of the ongoing investigation a man has been arrested in connection with the incident and is being taken into police custody.”
Pictures taken by a witness and published online show a man who appeared to be white, wearing a full-length burka, being led away flanked by two police officers in nearby Clarendon Road.
The images, seemingly taken from a window overlooking the road, show the man being led away into a police car.
Herts Constabulary has now appealed for a dog-walker who may have seen the incident to contact them.
“Police would assure her that she is in no trouble at all and would ask that she make contact with police, via the non-emergency number 101, as soon as possible,” said a spokesman.
