A bomb scare that forced the evacuation of a Kmart store in Melbourne's east was sparked by a "broken toy".
Police confirmed a "malfunctioning toy" was found and dismantled by the bomb response unit after reports of a suspicious package at the department store in Burwood on Tuesday morning.
Staff and customers were evacuated about 9.30am as officers conducted a "safety check" at Burwood One Shopping Centre on the Burwood Highway.
The area was declared safe about 12pm after the bomb response unit confirmed the package was harmless.
According to Channel Nine, the suspicious package was found in the staff room.
An employee at a neighbouring Bakers Delight store said they hadn't been evacuated and were busy with customers despite the nearby police activity.
Photos from the shopping centre showed police established a cordon around the department store and were interviewing people at the scene.
More to come.