June 16, 2020 - 4:56 PM
Vancouver police say they safely detonated an improvised explosive device in the city's downtown.
Police say officers responding to a 911 call of a crime in progress at about 9 a.m. Tuesday saw two men allegedly trying to break into a vehicle near Thurlow and Bute streets.
Police say after arresting one of the men, they found what appeared to be an explosive device in his backpack.
The area was blocked off and specialists from the police department's emergency response section safely detonated the device.
Const. Tania Visintin says there were no injuries and no damage was done to nearby buildings.
A 39-year-old man was arrested and charges related to the attempted break-in have been recommended to the Crown, while police say they anticipate additional charges in relation to the device.
"Given the time of day, the area was heavily populated," Visintin said in a news release. "Our officers worked meticulously to ensure no one was put at risk."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2020.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2020