Police Shut Down Lower Main Street After Bomb Threat

A bomb threat incident on lower Main Street Tuesday evening prompted a heavy law enforcement response to the area, where officers blocked off streets, closed businesses, and prevented pedestrians from walking on the sidewalks.

Nantucket Police stated Wednesday morning that its communications center received a report of an improvised explosive device (IED) in a black SUV parked at the Ralph Lauren store at 16 Main Street around 7:11 p.m.

After law enforcement officers secured the area for several hours, the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad arrived via helicopter and "conducted a thorough search of the area. The search did not locate or indicate any sign of an explosive device and the area was reopened at 11:09 p.m."

The case remains open and under investigation by the Nantucket Police Department's detective unit.

For several hours, the incident created gridlock and confusion in downtown Nantucket, as one of the primary areas for vehicles and pedestrians was blocked off by police cruisers and yellow caution tape.

Officers directed crowds of people away from the area by stating, "We have an incident going on," and "Please leave right now." 

The Club Car and the Gaslight, along with Ralph Lauren, were shut down for the night.

A Massachusetts State Police helicopter landed at Nantucket Memorial Airport around 10:30 p.m., and minutes later, members of the bomb squad wearing helmets and vests, while utilizing a dog, arrived at the scene downtown.

They appeared to be focusing on a black Jeep Cherokee parked directly in front of Ralph Lauren.

When officers reopened lower Main Street., the car remained outside of the store with all of its doors, hatch, and hood open.

As of midnight, Nantucket Police had not returned several messages seeking comment about the incident.

The bomb threat was the second in as many years at or near the Ralph Lauren store. In March 2024, police similarly shut down Main Street after receiving a bomb threat to Ralph Lauren that was called into the police department's non-emergency phone line.