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The incident happened at the Manor Drive area of Lurgan this morning and the security alert is now over.

Chief Inspector Barney O’Connor said: “At around 7:35am this morning (Monday 25th January), it was reported that a suspicious object was located in the area. Officers and ATO attended and the object, which has been declared as an elaborate hoax has been taken away for further forensic examinations.

“A number of residents who had been evacuated from their homes have been allowed to return.

Police are currently attending the scene of a security alert in Lurgan.
It follows the discovery of a suspicious object in the Manor Drive area.
Traffic is being diverted away from the Old Portadown Road area on Monday morning and a number of residents have been evacuated from their homes, whilst the object is examined.
Photo Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press — Police are currently attending the scene of a security alert in Lurgan. It follows the discovery of a suspicious object in the Manor Drive area. Traffic is being diverted away from the Old Portadown Road area on Monday morning and a number of residents have been evacuated from their homes, whilst the object is examined. Photo Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press

“I would like to thank the local community and especially those directly impacted for their patience and understanding while police worked to make the area safe.

“Police are now working to establish the circumstances surrounding this incident and would appeal to anyone who witnessed anything suspicious in the area, to contact police quoting reference number 169 25/01/21. You can call 101, or you can submit a report online using our non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ . The independent charity Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/.”

Sinn Fein Cllr Liam Mackle had described the alert as ‘causing unnecessary disruption in the area’.

“Many residents are elderly and this can be very frightening.”

Police are currently attending the scene of a security alert in Lurgan.
Photo Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press — Police are currently attending the scene of a security alert in Lurgan. Photo Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press

SDLP MLA Dolores Kelly condemned those behind the attack.

The Policing Board member said that elderly residents in a settled community were forced from their homes into the freezing cold.

Mrs Kelly MLA said: “Those behind this hoax have nothing to offer this community and they should be ashamed. This is a settled community and what we had today was elderly residents evacuated from their homes and forced into the freezing cold. Who in their right mind would do that?

“I will be raising community safety in Lurgan with senior police officers at the first available opportunity. Residents in our community deserve better than being held to ransom by these thugs.”

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Suspicious object declared ‘elaborate hoax’

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