Police swarm Torbay, Auckland shops, close road after mystery device triggers threat

A mystery device found in a public toilet that sparked a police operation on Auckland’s North Shore has been identified as a battery pack.

A medical centre was temporarily closed with patients forced to seek treatment elsewhere while police investigated the discovery of a “small device” found near a block of shops in Torbay.

Police confirmed the device at the centre of this morning’s emergency was a battery pack. Cordons were now being stood down, a spokesperson said.

Earlier a police spokesperson said a member of the public discovered what appeared to be a small device on Beach Rd at about 6am.

Specialist staff had been called in to safely dispose of the object.

The device was found in a public toilet behind the Torbay Medical Centre, said the clinic’s manager Cushla Snelling.

She described staff being unable to get into medical centre’s rooms, forcing them to re-book patients at nearby clinics or stay away until the site was cleared.

“The police had cordoned it all off and our staff weren’t allowed in, and we all had to go home until they rang us and gave us the all clear.

“It was just a hectic start and we’re just playing catch-up for the rest of the day.”

The manager of a Four Square supermarket whose shop was in the police cordon described seeing the specialist squad and “a lot of cars” in the area.

“We just heard in the morning from the police there is a bomb. And they came here, it sounded like a lot of cars.

“Everything is safe now. They’ve locked [down] everything before, but now everything is back to normal.”

Road closures were in place on Beach Rd between Willis St and Toroa St, said a police spokesperson.

“There will be a visible police presence in the area while this matter is resolved, and the public is advised to stay away during this time.”

Auckland Transport said local bus routes were redirected around Beach St because of the incident, but the detour was lifted around 8.15am.