Police investigated a bomb scare at a shopping plaza in Spring Valley Thursday evening after customers spotted an abandoned suitcase outside the Christmas Tree Shop on Route 59.

Police evacuated shoppers and shut down the store and neighboring shops for a few hours to investigate. The Rockland County Bomb Squad used X-rays to scan the suitcase for explosives and found the case to be free of bombs.

Authorities say Thursday?s incident is reminiscent of a bomb scare that happened last week at the Monsey Hub Plaza. Detective Lt. William Barbera, of the Rockland County Sheriff?s Department, says the bomb scares are being compared to see if there are any similarities or if the incidents may be linked.

Though police will continue their investigation, they say there is currently no cause for concern.