Better report that giant red backpack

It’s hard to miss a 10-foot high red backpack in the middle of John Wayne Airport, but travelers have an additional incentive to keep an eye out for it.

Those who take a picture of someone with the backpack, found in Terminal C between gates 14 and 15 until Aug. 12, can enter to win two tickets to an Angels game, according to a news release.

The backpack is the Orange County version of the national “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign, whose message is that the public’s help in reporting suspicious items is critical to keeping the community safe, according to the release.

The Santa Ana and Anaheim police departments are in charge of the backpack’s year-long U.S. Department of Homeland Security-sponsored trip around Orange County. So far it has visited Angels Stadium and the O.C. Fair.

“Our community can be a target just like any other large metropolitan area for terrorist acts, and we want Orange County to understand that homeland security starts with hometown security,” Santa Ana Acting Chief of Police Carlos Rojas said in a statement.

“We can all participate in keeping our community safe, so we encourage residents to simply be cognizant when in public and report anything unusual to the proper law enforcement authorities.”

Photos of travelers with the backpack can be sent to [email protected]. Winners will be notified by mail.

For more information, visit keepocsafe.org.

— Chasen Doerr

Twitter: @TheDailyPilot