SF Police defuse explosive device found in Starbucks restroom

SAN FRANCISCO – Police on Monday defused an improvised explosive device found in the restroom of a Starbucks store.

No one was injured, San Francisco police spokesman Sgt. Neville Gittens said.

Police received a call at about 1:15 p.m. after an employee reported finding something suspicious in the restroom of the Starbucks store, located at a busy intersection in San Francisco.

Police evacuated close to 100 people from the Starbucks and an apartment above the store, as well as shutting down traffic on the street, before disabling the device, Gittens said.

"This was a good device. If it had exploded, it would have caused injuries or damage," said Gittens, who would not describe its size.

Police allowed people back into the apartment building and reopened the street shortly after defusing the device, but the store remained closed Monday evening while police investigated.

Gittens said he could not give any further details and said an investigation was under way. Seattle-based Starbucks also declined to provide further details.

Vandals have previously targeted Starbucks in San Francisco.

In 2003, police said the windows of 17 Starbucks were clouded with glue and some of the door locks were jammed. The vandals also posted phony notices purporting to be from Starbucks management announcing the company's intention to abandon some San Francisco stores to make room for more locally owned coffee houses.