Bomb squad spent about two hours examining and securing the suspicious device after an Irvine traffic stop Tuesday evening.
Irvine police evacuated the Orchard Hills Shopping Center Tuesday after officers discovered what appeared to be a pipe bomb inside a vehicle near a gas station on Portola Parkway.
Police said officers responded to a suspicious-circumstances call at 3800 Portola Parkway and located two men connected to the incident. Both were arrested on drug-possession allegations, and officers learned one also had an outstanding warrant.
During a search of the vehicle, officers found what appeared to be a pipe bomb. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department Bomb Squad responded and spent about two hours examining the device, rendering it safe and removing it from the area.
Authorities had not publicly confirmed Tuesday night whether the device was capable of exploding. The investigation remains ongoing.
Sources
CBS Los Angeles; Irvine Police Department.
