Authorities responded after a briefcase was found in an alley at Rodeo Drive and Little Santa Monica Boulevard just before 10:30 a.m.
Sgt. Brad Cornelius said a man who had been trying to get a literary agent to read a script left a briefcase for the agent at an office around 9:15 a.m. The person for whom it was left said he did not request or want it, and a security guard took it outside.
A passerby saw the unattended briefcase in the alley and called police. A bomb squad was sent to investigate and detonated the case, which contained a laptop computer and some papers.
Police briefly detained the owner of the briefcase, but released him once they determined no crime was committed. His name and other details were not immediately released.
Streets in the area were briefly closed and some businesses were evacuated during the investigation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
