Portland police are looking for the man who left a suspicious package and spray-painted message outside the Portland Museum of Art on Saturday.

The package – described by police as made up of feathers surrounded by a box along with a spray-painted message – prompted police to cordon off Congress Square for more than three hours Saturday afternoon. Multiple businesses were evacuated while police X-rayed the package to determine if it was dangerous.

Portland police say a person driving this truck left a suspicious package in front of the Portland Museum of Art. Photo provided by Portland Police Department

Lt. Robert Martin said the department’s hazardous device team determined the package was not an explosive device.

“The contents of the package can be described as concerning and a criminal investigation is currently underway to determine who placed the package and their motivation for this act,” Martin said in a statement.

Martin said the world “BALM” was spray-painted on the sidewalk. Police are not releasing any other details about the contents of the package, he said.

The package and message were found by museum employees.

Portland police released this photo of a man they say left a suspicious package in front of the Portland Museum of Art. Photo provided by Portland Police Department

Police say surveillance video captured a light-colored pickup truck turning from High Street onto Free Street and parking just before 11 a.m. The man driving the truck then carried the package to the museum, placed it in the vestibule and drove off down Free Street, according to Martin.

The busy intersection of Congress and High streets was blocked to vehicle traffic and pedestrians for more than three hours. Congress Street reopened by 6:30 p.m.

Police ask anyone with information about the incident to call 207-874-8575.

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