New York City police cleared several blocks near Union Square on Thursday night and Friday morning to investigate a suspicious vehicle but reopened streets a few hours later when it was determined the car posed no danger, police said.

Local news reports said what appeared to be two gasoline canisters were seen in the back seat, leading police to call in the bomb squad to investigate.

But police gave the "all clear" signal after finding the owner of the car and determining there was no danger, a police spokesman said.

A police captain on the scene, who declined to give his name, said said there was no bomb, "just someone who did something they didn't know it was wrong."    

The city has been on alert since a crude car bomb was discovered in Times Square on May 1, leading to the arrest of a Pakistani-American two days later. Faisal Shahzad, 30, has been charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and trying to kill and maim people.

Investigators arrested three people linked to the suspect in the failed Times Square bombing during raids on Thursday in suburbs of New York, Boston and Philadelphia but officials said there was no new threat. - Reuters