Updated ,first published
Police have arrested a man in Melbourne’s CBD after a verbal threat was made that compelled the city council to ask its staff to stay away from the area.
The threat, the exact details of which are unknown, prompted the City of Melbourne to text staff to stay away due to “the possible threat of an incident occurring on Bourke Street tonight” after 7pm.
On Thursday evening, police said they had a 31-year-old man of no fixed address and were questioning him over the incident.
Police said the exact circumstances of the incident are still being investigated, but revealed a call was placed to a Sydney TV newsroom advising of an apparent threat in Melbourne’s CBD. The TV newsroom alerted Crimestoppers.
Inspector Dale Huntington said the man is alleged to have delivered the threat mid-afternoon. “At the moment, we’re just trying to understand what was said, and what was written”, he said.
“He did have some, some possessions and a bag, so that’s gone back to be further investigated by [the] Critical Incident Response Team.”
“At no stage was the public, whether in the CBD or coming into the CBD, at any time threatened … the CBD was quite safe.”
Pressed on why the council felt compelled to take an extra step in alerting it staff, Huntington replied: “I can’t answer what the council does, but anyone who sends out a safety message – that is fine. We will work with council on how that message went out because it wasn’t a policing message to go out to all.”
A spokesperson for Melbourne council said they sent the text “as a precaution to protect the safety of our staff”.
Police significantly increased their presence in the city while looking for the man, who was eventually arrested as the McDonald’s in Swanston Street.
“We take any threat seriously in the Melbourne CBD,” Huntington said.
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