BREAKING: Briefcase "bomb" threatens lunch for Variety, E!

Walking back from LACMA's Patina outpost (aka the Pentimento Cafe), we saw helicopters overhead, black-and-whites blocking Wilshire traffic and a half dozen cops rolling out yellow tape, with another half dozen waving their hands, telling us to move away. Our keen reporting sensibilities told us something was wrong.

So we asked one ("It's a bomb threat. Please move along"), two ("It's across the street. You need to move!"), three  policemen until we got satisfaction: "Someone left their briefcase outside."

Yep, it's true: There's a black briefcase in the eating area outside Organic To Go. (You can't see it in the picture, but it was next to the shiny aluminum chair in the center of the shot.) And now it's surrounded with yellow tape, as are the three blocks around it. (Wrinkled, recycled tape! they pulled it out of a police car's trunk!)

I bet they'd use fresh tape if someone left their briefcase outside M Cafe De Chaya.

UPDATE (2:32 pm) We've got two cops in our newsroom, telling us to stay 30 feet away from all windows. Our film reporters are paying no attention.

UPDATE (2:36 pm) OK, now they are.

UPDATE (3 pm) They've opened the briefcase -- it's empty.