Image: Abbas Alrahhal, used with permission / In this image shared by Abbas Alrahhal, Abbotsford PD units evacuated and cordoned off businesses near Value Village, 31970 South Fraser Way, Monday afternoon after an apparent explosive device was found among the donation bin at the thrift store.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Police incident in Abbotsford

UPDATE: Abbotsford Police evacuate businesses after grenade found at Value Village

Feb 27, 2024 | 8:55 AM

**UPDATE at 9:10 a.m. Tuesday morning: AbbyPD has released a follow-up statement to yesterday’s incident involving a possible explosive device.

“Yesterday evening, officers with the [RCMP] Explosives Disposal Unit attended and removed the device, which was determined to be a decommissioned World War II Mills grenade. The donator was contacted and advised that the item was inadvertently donated and served as a paperweight,” Cst. Art Stele said.

Following the removal of the decommissioned grenade, access to the commercial shopping centre was reopened to the public.

Original story below: 

ABBOTSFORD — The Abbotsford Police Department is investigating how an apparent explosive device was found at a thrift store on South Fraser Way in Abbotsford Monday afternoon.

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According to a statement from Abbotsford PD spokesperson Constable Art Stele Monday night, AbbyPD officers responded to Value Village at 31970 South Fraser Way at 3:16 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26, after receiving a 911 call reporting that an explosive device had been located by store staff in its donation inventory.

Cst. Stele said officers attending evacuated the store and surrounding businesses out of an abundance of caution, and enlisted the RCMP’s Explosives Disposal Unit (EDU) to attend and assess the device, render it safe and dispose of it. The area of the business was cordoned off to mitigate the risk to the public.

The origin of the device, authenticity and how it wound up at the thrift store is currently unknown and is being investigated, Cst. Stele said.

An image shared by Abbas Alrahhal online shows several AbbyPD police vehicles in the parking lot of South Fraser Way, along with yellow caution tape impeding access to businesses near Value Village.

Fraser Valley Today has sent a follow-up email Tuesday morning to Cst. Stele to confirm whether the explosive device was legitimate or inauthentic.