A man who robbed a German American Bank branch threatened to blow up the building and left a suspicious package there Thursday afternoon, police said.

The Bowling Green Police Department was called to the bank building on Campbell Lane at 3:41 p.m.

According to the BGPD, witnesses described the robber as a Middle Eastern-looking male about 5-foot, 8-inches tall, of average build, with dark hair and wearing a tan hat and gray long-sleeved shirt.

The robber took an undisclosed amount of money from the bank and left a package, claiming that it was an explosive device, according to BGPD. The device was later determined to be a decoy. Detectives were processing it for evidence.

Several officers were at the scene attempting to search for the suspect and gather information.

Campbell Lane around the bank was temporarily closed Thursday afternoon, and Gary Farms Boulevard beside the bank remained closed into early Thursday evening as multiple agencies, including the FBI, Bowling Green Fire Department and Kentucky State Police, also responded.

Police set up a perimeter around the area and evacuated people from surrounding businesses as they attempted to locate the suspect.

FBI Explosive Ordinance Disposal technicians arrived early Thursday evening to perform a sweep inside the bank as well as the surrounding area for any additional suspicious packages.