Vancouver police find active grenades in East Vancouver

A 33-year-old man from Surrey is in custody following a bomb scareat an East Vancouver gas station Thursday evening.

Police say a 911 caller reported a suspicious man at the gas station shortly after 7:00 p.m. PT.

Officers found the man parked in a white cargo van beside a convenience store at the gas station, with a small amount of marijuana and brass knuckles in his pocket.

Police closed down the station atFraserStreet and King Edward Avenue, after finding what they say appeared to be hand grenades in the back of the man's cargo van.

"It's the first time I've seen something like this to be honest I'm quite nervous,"said Saul Camargo, who lives right across the street from the station."It's quite shocking it's happening in France, it can happen in Canada too."

Controlled explosion

The VPD bomb disposal unit was called out and used a robot to extractthe grenades from the back of the van. Officers also found some knives and a tactical vest.

Around 1 a.m. PT, after determining that the grenades were active explosives, officers took them to a nearby park and detonated them in a controlled explosion.

The VPD arrested the man, who is fromSurrey, at the scene.