Calls for suspicious packages increase in New York

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"If you see something, say something." That's what New Yorkers have been doing. These last couple of days, police told Fox 5 the number of calls reporting suspicious packages has increased.

Saturday will mark a week since the bombings in New Jersey and Chelsea.

Regardless of people being nervous, New Yorkers have been more vigilant these past few days. They aren't taking any chances.

"New Yorkers are responding in a very positive way," Mayor Bill de Blasio said. "Not only is everyone showing their resilience and their support for each other, but people are picking up the phone, and they're going over to officers and reporting what they see and we want that."

According to police, following the Chelsea bombing through Wednesday at 4 p.m., there have been approximately 800 calls to 911 about suspicious packages.

Two of those calls were made Wednesday. Times Square completely shut down in the morning due to reports of a suspicious package. Later at night, a pressure cooker found under the major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx prompted its closure. Luckily both were false alarms.

"From what I understood of the device below the Deegan it was just a hoax," de Blasio said. 

Around the city, you can find many items that may seem out of place. We drove around and found bags, strollers and boxes under overpasses.

The New York City Department of Sanitation says it has told all crews to keep their eyes open. In a statement sent to Fox 5 News, they told us: "DSNY has advised all of its garbage and recycling crews to be cautious of any suspicious items they may come across along their collection routes. We've told them if they see something, say something to their supervisors."

The Department of Sanitation says no unusual incidents have been reported. Now the mayor says police take every call seriously and have and will continue to treat each one as if it might be real.