SALISBURY — Authorities say they will destroy a suspicious device a South Church Street man discovered in a metal crate this afternoon.
Members of a bomb squad from Cabarrus County will dig a hole beside the man’s house, place the device in the hole and set off an explosion, Salisbury Police Chief Rory Collins said.
Collins there appears to be no danger the device will detonate, but authorities still consider it “unsafe.”
Police evacuated the 300 block of South Church Street after a resident found what appeared to be an explosive device inside what he thought was an empty container.
Carlos Ortiz, who lives at 322 S. Church St., said he bought the military-style metal container from Foil’s Recycling after dropping off scrap metal there earlier today. The box had the word “empty” written on it.
The box was sealed and employees at Foil’s hadn’t been able to open it, Ortiz said. He pried open the container with a claw hammer and inside found a metal box used to carry a flute.
When he opened that smaller box, Ortiz said, he saw a radar detector wrapped in wiring and laying on padding. Beneath that padding, he discovered what he says was a grenade.
Police have not confirmed the box contained a grenade, but Chief Rory Collins called what Ortiz found a “possible explosive device.”
Ortiz, who sells items at the Webb Road Flea Market and had intended to sell the metal container there, closed the box and put it outside. Then he called police.
The Salisbury Fire Department is also on the scene.