OAKLAND, Calif., July 22 (UPI) -- Five San Fransisco Bay-area police agencies received envelopes filled with white powder in the mail, officials said.

The unidentified substance, determined not to be hazardous, was delivered to police in Hayward, San Leandro, Berkeley and Union City Friday and Oakland police confirmed Saturday they had been recipients as well, the Oakland (Calif.) Tribune reported.


Berkeley police called the Berkeley Fire Department, which used a chemical detector to determine the substance wasn't toxic.

"We were able to use a device that could immediately identify what kind of substance we were dealing with, so we were able to know right away that it was non-hazardous," Berkeley Deputy Fire Chief Gil Dong said.

The deliveries prompted the U.S. Postal Service and the FBI to start an investigation, although authorities had not said whether they believe the deliveries were connected.