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'Utility locating device' prompted evacuation of Gilcrest

The device that prompted the town of Gilcrest in Weld County to be evacuated Monday night turned out to be a harmless utility locating device, according to the sheriff's office.

WELD COUNTY — The suspicious packaged that prompted the evacuation of Gilcrest in Weld County Monday night turned out to be a harmless device that's used for locating utilities, according to a Tweet from the Weld County Sheriff's Office.

Gilcrest was evacuated after the backpack with wires sticking out of it was found at Valley High School Monday night, according to Weld County dispatch. Residents were told to leave the town around 9 p.m.

Courtesy: Weld County Sheriff's
Courtesy: Weld County Sheriff's

The package turned out to be a utility locating device. Officers said the reason to evacuate the town is that they were worried the device was near a gas line.

Gilcrest is a small town in Weld County about 40 miles northeast of Denver and 13 miles south of Greeley. It's right off of Highway 85.

The population was 1,098 at the 2017 census.

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