The Los Angeles Police Department’s Bomb Squad responded Saturday to a suspicious device in Pacoima.
The device was reported around 2:30 p.m. outside of the LAPD Foothill Station, police said.
The box containing military devices was left outside the station after a couple found it while cleaning the home of a deceased family member who was in the military, according to police.
“They told the officers they didn’t know if the items were bombs or whether the bombs were active. The officers went out, looked inside the box, and found what appeared to be four or five military-style bombs,” said LAPD Captain Warner Castillo. “They took the box containing the explosives from the garage and brought it here to the station. They put it in their car and drove from their home to the police station.”
Authorities ordered the evacuation of the police station, nearby homes, and businesses while the investigation continued.
After several hours of investigating with the help of a robot, police were able to determine that four of the devices were explosives.
The couple took a significant risk by transporting the explosives to the station themselves, according to the police captain.
Authorities recommend that anyone who finds something similar should call the police immediately and allow trained personnel to handle it, rather than risking their life by moving potentially dangerous devices.