The lesson from a recent bomb scare at the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office is clear, according to Bureau Chief David Walcher.

“If you really think there’s something suspicious, for instance a bomb in your car, evacuate it, keep it safe, call the police. Don’t bring it to us,” the chief said.

On Jan. 10, Jamie Erickson, 26, walked into the sheriff’s office in Centennial and reported what she thought was a suspicious item attached to the bottom of her car.

“She sees some duct tape and some wire hanging out of it and she feels as though it’s some kind of explosive device,” Walcher said.

After Erickson, who works in the security industry, arrived, deputies secured the parking lot and visitors were moved inside the building away from windows.

The bomb squad tried to inspect Erickson’s vehicle using a remote-controlled robot to no avail.

“Because the car sat rather low, the robot really couldn’t get a good view underneath the car,” Walcher said. “They tried a visual inspection, but there was a lot of slush and ice underneath the car because she’d driven it there.”

In the end, technicians did not locate anything — except, as Walcher tells it, duct tape attached to something or other and covered by layers ice and sludge.

“Someone, maybe the previous owner, had used duct tape to tape together something on the undercarriage of the engine, but there was no device,” Walcher said.

The chief cautions against even getting close to a vehicle suspected of carrying an explosive — much less getting in the car and driving it to the police station, thus putting both the driver and the public at risk.

“You should always err on the side of caution,” Walcher advised. “But if you feel that something is a threat, you don’t want to reach in and grab it. You call law enforcement. That’s truly the lesson.”