Friends trying to hand off rice cooker cause scare at casino

LINCOLN, R.I. -- Police say two friends trying to hand off a rice cooker at a Rhode Island casino caused a brief security scare.

The Twin River Casino in Lincoln wasn't evacuated but the parking lot was temporarily closed Saturday morning until police determined there was no threat.

WPRI-TV reports a man told casino security he saw the cooker next to a car in the parking lot at about 9:40 a.m. Casino security, officers with the Lincoln and state police, and the state fire marshal's office responded.

Police reviewed surveillance video and located the woman who left the cooker. She said she was meeting a friend who wanted to borrow it.

The friend had already gone inside, so they agreed over the phone that she would leave the cooker next to her friend's car.

State police said their story checked out, and the two friends apologized.