Victorian bomb squad called to explosive device at Wonthaggi police station after man arrested

The bomb squad was called in to remove an explosive device at a South Gippsland police station after a dramatic arrest in Wonthaggi.

The bomb squad was called to the Wonthaggi police station on Tuesday. Picture: Supplied

The bomb squad was called in to remove an explosive device left near a South Gippsland police station after a dramatic arrest in Wonthaggi on Tuesday.

Local police were first called to reports of a “suspicious vehicle” on nearby Quarry St in Wonthaggi before the driver attempted to flee about 3am.

“The vehicle got bogged and the driver attempted to run from the scene when he was arrested,” police said in a statement.

Officers then seized an “improvised explosive device” and at least one gun.

The explosive device was reportedly shifted to the Wonthaggi police station car park where members from the bomb squad were called in to investigate.

“Bomb Squad officers are on scene in regard to the IED and have deemed the device safe,” the statement continued.

The man arrested, a 24-year-old from Leongatha, remained in custody on Tuesday.

The investigation is ongoing.

Wonthaggi was also rocked by an early morning shooting at a home just metres from Tuesday’s bomb scare.

Father-of-two Kevin McLean was shot in the back outside a Fahey St home about 2am on Sunday after an altercation with another man.

CCTV captured the sound of a man screaming “What are you doing? What the f***? Come on” before a bullet was blasted in the residential street.

A 10-year-old girl sleeping inside the home was unharmed during the targeted attack.

Originally published as Victorian bomb squad called to explosive device at Wonthaggi police station after man arrested