Police appear to destroy reported suspicious package at Valley Stream Post Office

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Updated to reflect new information

Police appeared to destroy on Saturday what was reported to be a suspicious package at the Valley Stream Post Office.

At around 8:20 p.m. Nassau County police were seen loading a container into a specialized truck with what appeared to be a small explosive, and proceeded to destroy the package.


Resident and retired NYPD Lt. Michael Steinke, who said he was on the scene for roughly 45 minutes described it as a “controlled detonation.” Unofficial reports indicated that the package was some sort of mail fishing device. Police, however, have released no official information about the incident, except to confirm that a suspicious package had been found.

The ordeal reportedly lasted roughly four hours, and officers had evacuated and cordoned off a roughly half-block radius around the South Franklin Avenue post office for its duration.

George, an employee at a neighboring business who declined to give his last name, said officers entered his shop at around 5 p.m. and told him to evacuate due to a suspicious package at the post office.

Bystanders reported that around 9 p.m. police had cleared out, and had re-opened South Franklin Avenue to traffic. It is unlikely that more information will become available.