Police give few clues on package

Charleston police remained tight-lipped Monday about a briefcase wired to an open cell phone found Friday on a Calhoun Street sidewalk that prompted a three-hour bomb scare at the College of Charleston.

Police determined Friday night that the "suspicious package" was not an explosive device. "It's still under investigation," said police spokesman Charles Francis.

David Berndt, an adjunct psychology professor at the college, found the case about 9 a.m. and called authorities, according to a police report. Berndt could not be reached for comment.

Police said the briefcase, known as a Pelican case, had batteries and magnets attached inside by wires that connected to the cell phone outside the case. Pelican cases are billed as waterproof, air-tight, unbreakable and corrosion-proof. They are sold to the public, law enforcement and Homeland Security. Pelican case uses include carrying guns and electronics such as laptops, according to a company Web site.

Calhoun Street from King Street to Coming Street was shut down while police dealt with the situation on Friday. A bomb-sniffing dog and robot were brought in to check out the case. Students as far away as King and Calhoun streets were ordered to take cover behind King Street buildings while police rendered the device safe using an undisclosed technique that created no noticeable noise. Afterward, about 30 small pieces of debris could be seen in Calhoun Street.

Trident Technical College electronics engineering technology instructor Will Snelgrove said the combination of magnets, batteries and a cell phone could be innocuous or it could be used for a sinister purpose. He said he has those sorts of materials in his classroom, and uses them for teaching. A magnetic field can be used as a trigger, he said.

Reach Prentiss Findlay at 937-5711 or pfindlay@postand courier.com.