Suspicious items found in Berlin park investigated

BERLIN, Md. – Worcester County officials conducted an investigation into suspicious items found in a Berlin park Thursday afternoon.

Just before 1 p.m., the Berlin Police Department received a call from the Town of Berlin Public Works regarding suspicious containers in Stephen Decatur Park on Tripoli Street. On arrival, officers spoke with public works staff and determined that two steel military ammunition cans were found by staff while cutting grass in the park. Town staff personnel reported that the weight of the cans indicated that they contained something and were not empty.

Berlin Police called the Worcester County Fire Marshals office to the scene to investigate. Out of an abundance of caution, officials decided to have the cans x-rayed before any responder investigated further. The Ocean City Bomb Squad responded, and a robot was utilized to scan the cans with a portable x-ray device. The results of the scans reportedly prompted further investigation by bomb squad personnel protected by a blast resistive suit.

It was determined that the two boxes contained plastic bags full of a clay type soil. It is suspected that the person(s) may have used the weighted cans for strength training int he park and may have unintentionally left them behind.