A man has been arrested after allegedly making a threatening phone call warning of an incident on Bourke St.
The verbal threat was made on Thursday afternoon and prompted police to ramp up patrols in the city.
Critical Incident Response Team and uniform officers arrested a man at a McDonald’s outlet on Swanston St just after 7.30pm.
The 31-year-old man of no fixed address was being interviewed at Melbourne West Police Station on Thursday night.
It’s alleged the man made a phone call to Channel 9 in Sydney, threatening of an incident on Bourke Street.
Channel 9 then contacted Crime Stoppers.
The exact nature of the call remains under investigation however Victoria Police said the public was never in danger.
Inspector Dale Huntington said people should not be concerned about traveling into the city.
“At no stage was the public, whether in the CBD or coming into the CBD, at any time threatened,” he said.
“There was never any kind of action happening towards any individual or any groups at any location.”
Inspector Huntington said police treat all threats with the same severity.
“Any threat, no matter what it is, we take very seriously,” he said.
“Our whole aim was to identify who this individual was, and also to locate and arrest and understand what this threat was.”
Police said in an earlier statement that patrols were increased across the CBD “as a precaution.”
Melbourne City Council issued a text message to staff on Thursday night warning them to avoid Bourke St.
“Victoria Police have advised us of the possible threat of an incident occurring on Bourke Street tonight, Thursday 21 May,” the council wrote in a text message.
“Please be alert and avoid the area after 7pm tonight.”
Inspector Huntington addressed the council’s warning to staff.
“I can’t answer what the council does, but anyone who sends out a safety message, that is fine.
“We will work with the council on how that message went out because it wasn’t a policing message to go out to all.”