John Lewis in Kingston is evacuated over a bomb threat as police seal off streets outside
- Shoppers were rushed out of John Lewis store in Kingston following bomb threat
- Metropolitan Police have closed Kingston Bridge after ‘security alert’ at 10am
- Incident at Bentall Centre department store is not believed to be ‘terror-related’
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Shoppers were rushed out of a John Lewis and Waitrose in a west London shopping centre this morning as police were called to reports of a bomb scare.
The Metropolitan Police said the threat was made to the shop in the Bentall Centre department store in Kingston-upon-Thames just before 10am.
Officers have closed Kingston Bridge and are investigating the threat, but confirmed that the incident is ‘not believed to be terror-related’.
The high street giant confirmed that its John Lewis and Waitrose shops were evacuated ‘as instructed by the Police’.
In a statement, the Met said: ‘At approximately 9.47am on Wednesday, October 28, police were contacted by a department store at Wood Street, Kingston where a bomb threat had been received.
Shoppers were rushed out of the Bentall Centre department store in Kingston-upon-Thames after a ‘security alert’. The threat was made to the store in the shopping centre before 10am
A John Lewis store in Kingston has been evacuated over a bomb threat this morning
A force spokesperson said the incident is ‘not believed to be terror-related’
‘The store has been evacuated and London Ambulance Service are in attendance as a precaution. There have been no reported injuries.
‘A number of closures, including Kingston Bridge, are in place while officers search the premises. Enquiries continue.
‘This incident is not believed to be terror-related.’
A spokesperson for John Lewis said: ‘We can confirm that our John Lewis and Waitrose shops in Kingston were evacuated this morning as instructed by the Police.
‘The safety of our customers and Partners is our top priority and we are working closely with the emergency services as they handle the situation’.
Social media users reported how the road closures are causing queues over Kingston Bridge and along Hampton Court Road to beyond Hampton Court Palace
Gareth Roberts, leader of Richmond Council, tweeted: ‘Seems there’s an alert of a suspicious device in #Kingston Town Centre- as yet unconfirmed.
‘But it’s causing LOTS of disruption so if you can AVOID the area then PLEASE DO!’
Kingston Council said: ‘Police have closed Wood Street between the Bentall Centre and John Lewis due to an incident.’
Social media users reported how the road closures are causing queues over Kingston Bridge and along Hampton Court Road to beyond Hampton Court Palace.
***Did you see what happened? Email: [email protected]***