British Army bomb squad and police rush to retail park as ‘suspicious package’ in Pizza Hut car park sparks shop evacuations

• Kent Police said British Army explosives experts were attending the scene 

An Army bomb squad and police today scrambled to a retail park after a ‘suspicious package’ was found outside a Pizza Hut.

Shoppers were evacuated from shops at Prospect Place in Dartford, Kent as the park went into lockdown.

Kent Police said British Army explosives experts were attending the scene and a bomb disposal robot was spotted. Several police vans were seen arriving and a cordon was set up, with bomb squad and Army officers getting in place.

One witness, who was in TK Maxx in Prospect Place at around 12.15pm, said the alarm went off and the shop was evacuated.

Another witness, who was in Costa at the time and ordered to leave the building by police, said: ‘I was just having a drink when a man in a hi-vis came in and the whole place was being evacuated within three minutes. 

A large number of police officers and vehicles arrived at the scene in Dartford, Kent

One witness, who was in TK Maxx in Prospect Place near to the Pizza Hut at around 12.15pm, said the alarm went off and the shop was evacuated

‘I looked up the road and saw police blocking the entrance of the retail park and putting blue and white tape up.

‘There is a blue car in the cordon with a bag and satchel next to it officers were looking at.’

Lewis Perry, who works at a nearby KwikFit garage that has been cordoned off, was told by officers they won’t be able to return for around four hours.

He said: ‘They came in at around about 11 and told us we had to get out because of a suspicious package.

Kent Police confirmed British Army explosives experts were attending the scene 

Police officers rushed to the scene after being called to a report of a ‘suspicious package’

‘I looked out the window and could see people being escorted out of Pizza Hut.

‘Police were taking their car keys from them and driving cars out of the car park themselves.’

A spokesman for Kent Police confirmed the area has been cordoned off ‘following the discovery of a suspicious package’.

A couple and their toddler have been left unable to get to their flat inside the cordon.

The woman said: ‘We live just there. My daughter needs the toilet and to go to sleep.’

There may be some disruption to traffic, as the cordon has closed the busy A226 near Dartford train station.

A spokesman for Kent Police said: ‘Kent Police has set up a Cordon around Prospect Place, Dartford, following the discovery of a suspicious package just before 11.30am on Wednesday, April 26, 2023.

‘Officers remain on scene and British Army explosives experts are due to attend.’

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