By Andrea Gregory

Somerville police and bomb technicians from the Cambridge Police Department were called to check out a suspicious package at Target over the weekend. The package, made up of wires, a cylindrical object and a bottle turned out to be harmless, but authorities did not take any chances.

  The mysterious device was spotted in the Somerville Avenue store late Sunday afternoon. A store manager described the package as a drink bottle with an object inside that looked similar to a cell phone battery. 

  ‚ÄúIn today‚Äôs day and age, it‚Äôs better to let the police a look at it. Just didn‚Äôt want to take any chances,‚Äù said Jorge Cortizl, store manager.

  According to local police, the puzzling device was discovered near the cash registers at the front of the store and then moved outside the building prior to contacting police.

  Bomb technicians used a robot to inspect the object and then detonated it with an explosive charge of water from a water cannon. Afterwards, it was deemed to be harmless. Police spent about two hours on the scene.

  Since the item was already out of the store and far away from people, police decided not to evacuate the store or area. Police did check the store for similar looking devices, but nothing else suspicious was found, said Somerville Police Capt. Paul Upton.

  Somerville authorities are still looking into the matter, reviewing the store‚Äôs video footage. Who left the suspicious object behind and why remains a mystery. Police would like to determine if it was a careless incident of someone leaving trash behind or if it was placed intentionally and crafted to scare people.

  ‚ÄúWe don‚Äôt know who put that item there or why,‚Äù said Upton. ‚ÄúWe just don‚Äôt know what was behind this.‚Äù

  Police are asking anyone with information to call (617) 625-1600 and ask to speak with the detectives.