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Suspicious Object Briefly Clears Westwood Shopping Plaza

What turned out to be a harmless homemade lighter cleared a Bergen County shopping plaza mid-Wednesday afternoon.

Westwood Plaza

Westwood Plaza

Photo Credit: Gael Burman

The lighter, found in a clothing shipment at T.J. Maxx in Westwood, "may have accidentally been placed or fallen into the shipment at a warehouse prior to delivery," borough Police Chief Michael Pontillo said.

The call came in at 2:51 p.m. Jan. 11.

It brought Pontillo's officers, borough firefighters and the Bergen County Bomb Squad to the Westwood Plaza on Broadway, which includes a K-Mart, a a Wine Mart, a UPS store and an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant, among other businesses.

Authorities quickly determined there was no danger and the complex was reopened, the chief said.

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