Police in Pittsburgh said a bomb scare was set off by a harmless backpack left behind by a homeless man who pulled it from the trash.

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Police said the bomb squad was called in Aug. 18 to investigate a pink backpack hanging from a sign outside The Pennsylvanian building, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Wednesday.

Several downtown streets were closed amid rush hour traffic until George Morris, 62, approached officers and told them he had taken the backpack from a trash can and left it on the sign in case anyone wanted it or its contents, a doll and some business cards.

Officers cited Morris for disorderly conduct.

"He was honest with us," Detective Michael Burns said. "He figured he'd hang it back up and see if anyone else wanted it ... He should have just put it back in the trash."