A 44-year-old man is in custody after an "item of concern" led to the evacuation of Wellington Central Police Station on Tuesday afternoon.
A Defence Force explosives team conducted three small, controlled explosions, which were heard in the surrounding area.
The police station and surrounding buildings were evacuated after the item was found in the station's foyer.
Cordons have now been lifted and occupants have been allowed back into buildings, but the station's front counter will be closed while an investigation continues and the scene is cleared.
Contractor Mark Griffiths told Newshub he saw a man who looked to be in his mid-forties "yelling and screaming and he had a large hard-shelled suitcase which he proceeded to throw up into the air and it sort of landed on the footpath quite loudly".
Mr Griffiths was parked nearby at the time. He says the man later returned and picked up the suitcase and continued walking down the street.
Newshub.
