A suspicious package placed outside a Taranaki police station was lost property that a member of the public had handed in, police say.
The Hawera station was closed, a road cordoned off and the bomb squad called in when the briefcase-sized black metal box was found propped against the building's front door earlier today.
About 12.45pm a member of the public came forward to tell authorities it was lost property handed in, Inspector Mike Coleman from central police communications said.
It was not known what was inside the container.
The police station had reopened, Mr Coleman said.
