Red suitcase stops NYC traffic near Macy’s, proves harmless

NEW YORK – A suspicious red suitcase abandoned in the middle of a bustling Manhattan square near Macy’s forced police to stop traffic and pedestrians while a bomb squad investigated.

But authorities say the emergency team determined the luggage found in Herald Square late Saturday afternoon posed no threat.

Pedestrians were being guided away from the area while helicopters hovered above surveilling the scene. A police spokesman says the quick response just after 5 p.m. was a precaution and there was no reason for concern.

“Please don’t abandon your luggage!” the New York Police Department urged the public on Twitter after the dramatic, hour-long disruption.