Copyright 1995 The Times Mirror Company
Los Angeles Times
April 27, 1995, Thursday, Valley Edition
SECTION: Metro; Part B; Page 3
LENGTH: 289 words
HEADLINE: WEST VALLEY FOCUS:WESTLAKE VILLAGE; PACKAGE EVACUATES PACKARD BELL OFFICES
BYLINE: By PAUL ELIAS
BODY:
A suspicious package addressed to computer giant Packard Bell's president forced about 300 workers to evacuate their Westlake Village offices for about three hours shortly after noon Wednesday.
A startled secretary noticed the package oozing fluid and, with recent bombings in mind, feared the worst.
The package turned out to be a leaky computer printing cartridge.
"It was nothing," said Al Justice, the company's security director. "Everybody is a little on edge."
"People are more cautious about these things now," said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Diane Hecht. She said the department's bomb squad X-rayed the package and determined it was harmless.
Hecht said the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department bomb squad also responded to a "suspicious package" call at the Santa Monica Civic Center Wednesday. That package contained old magazines, she said.
"I think these calls are due to the way of the world these days," Hecht said. The Ventura County Sheriff's Department has not responded to any bomb scares since the bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building on April 19, a spokesman said. Ventura police checked the local FBI office after a bomb threat that day.
The package was addressed to Packard Bell President Beny Alagem, heightening fear of a bomb. The so-called Unabomber killed a Sacramento timber industry lobbyist with a mail bomb Monday and has also targeted computer experts.
Packard Bell plans to shut down its Westlake Village manufacturing operation by the end of this week as it completes its move to Sacramento. Some executive and administrative workers will remain in Westlake Village.
About 700 employees are still working at the Westlake Village site, Justice said. PAUL ELIAS