Bomb squad clears scare at Yuba City Sam's Club

A bomb squad detonated a suspicious package as a precaution on Thursday in the Sam's Club parking lot in Yuba City.

The afternoon bomb scare, however, turned out to be someone's abandoned gun-cleaning kit, the Yuba City Police Department said.

No one was hurt.

"There were no bomb-making materials present," police spokeswoman Shawna Pavey said. "But, it's good there are professionals to handle these things in case."

The Butte County bomb squad detonated the package at about 4 p.m., about four hours after the small metal ammunition case was found on the north end of the parking lot, behind the Hometown Buffet on Colusa Avenue.

Lt. Tom Tappe said a Sam's Club employee discovered the package sitting in a shopping cart around 11:45 a.m.

"It was an unusual package in that area and, given the Fourth of July was (Wednesday), it was decided to err on the side of caution and isolate the scene," Tappe said.

At least one store employee "handled" the case and said it felt hot, but officers believe the heat was the result of being left in the sun.

A portion of the parking lot was roped off and motorists were diverted around the suspected danger zone, but no businesses were interrupted, police said.

Members of the bomb squad task force X-rayed the package, but were unable to determine the contents.

Officers then cleared a larger portion of the parking lot before the package was detonated.

CONTACT Rob Parsons at rparsons@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4785. Find him on Facebook at /ADcrimebeat or on Twitter at @ADcrimebeat.