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Police: Toilet With Phone And Note Not Dangerous

TOWSON, Md. (WJZ) -- A toilet set off a security scare outside the court building in Towson, but that's just the beginning of the story.

Kelly McPherson explains the bizarre discovery.

A decorated toilet on the sidewalk in front of the old County Courthouse in Towson triggered a bomb threat.

"I walked right up to it," said Jennifer Taff.

Taff said the kid-sized toilet had been on Washington Avenue since Sunday afternoon.

"It almost looked like an art project or something because it had all of these articles taped to it," Taff said.  "And the cell phone was sitting on top of the box and the cell phone had googly eyes attached to it."

Baltimore County Police brought in the bomb squad, evacuating nearby stores Monday morning.

"They just said move because they had something out there.  They didn't say what it was," said Anthony Curtis.

Workers watched from several floors above.

"First there was a robot that came out and looked at it and then they had a guy in a bomb suit and then the dogs came out and that's when I guess they determined it was nothing but a toilet," said Rob Erdman.

Police have arrested someone but won't say who. 

One man, Duane G. Davis, wrote on Facebook: "Monday morning madness.  Left my toilet at the Baltimore County Courthouse."  He has posted pictures of decorated toilets.

He wasn't at his Northeast Baltimore apartment but police were.

"We can't speak directly to the suspect's motive in this case other than at this time it's an ongoing investigation," said Lt. Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police.

"No, there was no theme.  It was just random stuff.  And it said something about Facebook like, 'Get all of your movies from Facebook' or something crazy like that," Taff said.

On Facebook, Davis (who goes by the nickname "Shorty") talked about leaving "materials" at the Baltimore Basilica.  The church confirms finding a bedpost.  Police have not said he is their suspect.

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