UPDATE: On Monday, police said the man arrested after it was discovered he had active explosives, throwing knives, drugs and a set of brass knuckles is Korey Leo Collins. Collins had been found guilty of possessing a weapon for a dangerous purposed in 2007.
One man is in custody after Vancouver Police officers discovered he was in possession of active explosives, throwing knives, drugs and a set of brass knuckles.
Investigators say they discovered what looked like two grenades during a routine traffic stop Thursday night, forcing them to close down several blocks while they carefully detonated them in a nearby school field.
The grenades were found in the back of a cargo truck at an Esso station near Fraser Street and King Edward Avenue.
Shortly after 7 p.m., police received a 9-1-1 call about a suspicious person in the area. Officers arrived and found the man in the driver’s seat of a vehicle parked beside the convenience store at the gas station.
Officers spoke with the 33-year-old man and found he was in possession of a small amount of marijuana. Further investigation found he was a prohibited driver; a set of brass knuckles from his pocket.
A search of the truck uncovered the throwing knives, a tactical vest and two hand grenades, police said.
The Vancouver Police Explosive Disposal Unit analyzed the devices in the back of the truck with the use of a mobile robot.
The grenades were x-rayed and police determined they were active explosive devices. The devices were collected and taken to a nearby field where they were safely disposed of by way of a controlled detonation, with a blast radius of 50 feet.
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The Surrey man, who was not the owner of the vehicle, is now facing multiple charges. He remained in custody Friday morning.
Brian Montague with Vancouver Police said it’s hard to say how dangerous the situation could have been for the general public.
He said the grenades appeared to be volatile and tempered with.
“The driver was putting himself and his passenger in danger driving around with these things.”
Montague said officers will be speaking with the suspect to try to figure out why he had the grenades and whether there was an intent to use them to cause damage.
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