Tesco finds more threat letters

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Tesco has received further letters containing threats, police have said.

Hertfordshire Police said the letters had just been opened but referred to incidents that had been due to happen on Saturday, 14 July.

Police are investigating a "series of threats" that led to the evacuation and closure of 14 Tesco stores on Saturday.

On Monday bomb disposal experts carried out a controlled explosion on a suspicious package at a Tesco store in Bristol "as a precaution".

Avon and Somerset Police were called after the package was discovered at a store in the Eastville area.

Saturday was designated a "national day of action" against Tesco by animal rights groups, who claimed the store was selling live turtles at outlets in China.

Every effort is being made to trace those involved Hertfordshire Police

But Tesco has not revealed what made it close its doors.

Officers from Hertfordshire, where the firm has its HQ, said there was no link to any form of extremism.

On Monday a Hertfordshire Police spokesman warned the public to be "vigilant".

He added: "We have now been notified about a number of other letters which have been opened in the last 24 hours.

"It would appear that these all refer to threats of possible incidents on Saturday July 14, but they have only just been opened.

"All threats are treated seriously and public safety is of utmost importance in this investigation. Every effort is being made to trace those involved."

'Security alert'

On Saturday stores were closed in Port Talbot, Glamorgan, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, and Market Harborough and Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire.

Other branches shut down were in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk; Hucknall, Nottinghamshire; Hereford and Ledbury, both in Herefordshire; and Barnes, south-west London.

Branches of the supermarket were also closed in East Renfrewshire and Fife. Other stores were closed in regions covered by the Lancashire and Humberside police forces.

Trading was, in fact, busier than usual for a Sunday in these stores Tesco

Martin Jacklin was shopping in a Tesco store in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, when shoppers were told to take to vacate the premises.

"Me, the wife and the children were in there, basically just doing a normal shop and it came over the tannoy that we were asked to leave, basically, go to the cashier, pay for your groceries and then leave," he said.

Tesco said 14 stores closed for a few hours on Saturday following a "security alert" and these reopened either that evening or on Sunday morning.

"As always, the safety and well-being of staff and customers is Tesco's priority," the firm's statement added.

"Staff at the affected stores have done a fantastic job during this period and worked very hard to make sure the stores were fully stocked and ready to welcome customers as usual in the morning.

"Trading was, in fact, busier than usual for a Sunday in these stores.

"The police are conducting a criminal investigation and Tesco cannot comment further."