The Sureté du Quebec bomb squad spent the night dealing with a suspicious package left in front of a store in St. Jean sur Richelieu.
The incident began at 10:30 p.m. Monday when a passerby noticed a strange object sitting in the doorway of a boutique on Richelieu Rd. near the Gouin bridge.
That same boutique, Le Petit Cocon, had been targeted twice last year.
St. Jean sur Richelieu police rushed to the scene, then called upon the SQ for assistance.
Police officers evacuated several apartment buildings located on the same block, while the bomb squad used a specialized robot to investigate the package.
The bomb squad eventually removed the object and will investigate it further.
Residents were allowed back home at 5:10 a.m. Tuesday.
Nobody was hurt during the incident.
Owners targeted since July 2016
Monday evening's bomb threat was the latest in a string of attacks against Le Petit Cocon and its owners since July 2016.
The store itself was attacked twice in the past two months, with arsonists trying to burn down the store in November 2018 and again in December.
The owners of the boutique have also been targeted at home.
Since 2016 criminals have destroyed two of their cars and a boat, and their home has also been set on fire.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the SQ at 1-800-659-4264.
