Shoppers rushed out as police investigated a suspicious item, forcing IKEA to shut down for an hour

Shoppers at IKEA Wednesbury faced a terrifying ordeal as police ordered an emergency evacuation over a suspicious item.

Hundreds of customers and staff were forced out of the store at around 2pm on Tuesday as officers from West Midlands Police rushed to the scene. The IKEA branch, located near Junction 9 of the M6, remained closed while authorities searched the premises.

Police confirmed they were called at 1:52pm after receiving reports of a potentially dangerous item. Although no further details were released about the object, officers conducted a full security sweep before giving the all-clear.

An IKEA spokesperson assured the public that safety remains the company’s top priority. The retailer shut its doors for just over an hour, finally reopening at 3:15pm.

“We apologise for the inconvenience caused,” the company said in a statement.

Despite the disruption, no injuries or arrests were reported, and normal shopping resumed after the investigation concluded.