IED found after grenade handed in to police station

A bomb squad member prepares to enter the Hastings Police Station after a live hand grenade was handed in. Photo / Glenn Taylor

A live hand grenade found on an empty Hastings section yesterday has led to the discovery of an improvised explosive device.

The Defence Force bomb disposal squad was called in yesterday after a live hand grenade was handed in to the Hasting Police Station late morning. The station and surrounding buildings were evacuated until the grenade was examined and taken away from the scene.

Detective Sergeant Brent Greville said an improvised explosive device (IED) was also found yesterday during the search. It was about 15-20cm long and had no detonator.

"This device would not have blown up on its own, but nevertheless we have taken every precaution with it as it had been constructed to explode. Both this and the hand grenade have been sent away for forensic testing," Mr Greville said.

There was nothing to indicate where the two items originated from or who had placed them on the vacant section.

The bomb squad and the police Specialist Search Group today searched an empty section behind a commercial building in Albert St in Hastings, where the hand grenade and IED were found and closed the street off, after a "suspicious item" was found, that later turned out to be of no further interest police said.

The search of the section is likely to finish this afternoon.

Police say the man who found the hand grenade yesterday was clearing vegetation from a neighbouring property when he found the package wrapped in plastic material near the fence line of the two sections.

Mr Greville said results from the forensic tests would hopefully provide police with more information about the devices.