Shoppers have been evacuated from a busy shopping mall in Sydney’s west after an alleged hand grenade was discovered in a carpark.
Officers rushed to Auburn Central shopping centre, about 20km west of the city’s CBD, at around midday on Wednesday.
One man claimed a ‘live bomb’ had been discovered in the carpark in a post on X.
Others said the centre was ‘swarming’ with officers and alarms were going off.
NSW Police confirmed a police operation was underway in the carpark of a shopping centre on Wales Lane in Auburn.
‘Officers attached to Auburn Police Area Command, along with specialist officers are in attendance,’ police said in a statement.
‘There is an ongoing evacuation of the shopping centre.
‘Queen Street, Vales Lane, Auburn Road, Harrow Road and Mary Street are closed, and members of the public are advised to avoid the area.
Shoppers were evacuated from Auburn Central shopping centre on Wednesday (pictured)
Members of the Public Order Riot Squad were seen attending to the incident in Auburn
‘No further information is available at this time.’
Members of the Public Order Riot Squad also attended the shopping centre.
A large group of people wearing high-vis vests were seen gathered outside the entrance of the shopping centre as the police operation unfolded.
People were allowed back into the shopping centre several hours later.
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