Westwaters Hotel in Melbourne evacuated over a bomb scare

Entertainment complex in Melbourne is evacuated over BOMB scare

  • A man has been arrested after allegedly leaving a hand grenade at a hotel  
  • Police say the man had an argument with staff before putting down the explosive
  • An eyewitness said she had gone to a second bar, when the man, 45, turned up  
  • She told management what had happened and had him arrested shortly after
  • Do you know more? Email hannah.moore@mailonline.com 

A Melbourne hotel was evacuated over a bomb scare on Wednesday morning.

The WestWaters Hotel and Entertainment complex in Caroline Springs, on the outskirts of the city, was cleared out after a 45-year-old man had a dispute with staff about 8am. 

Police allege the man left the premises, leaving behind an item which appeared to be a hand grenade and sparking the scare.  

The Derrimut man was arrested shortly afterwards at another pub. 

Officers are currently conducting safety checks at both scenes, but a spokeswoman for Victoria Police said there is no threat to the public. 

Eyewitness Marie Perez told Daily Mail Australia she was in the smoking area of the hotel when the man approached her.

‘I went out to the smokers area to make a call – he interrupted my call and asked to buy a cigarette off me,’ she said. 

Ms Perez claimed as she was on the phone, the man interrupted her again to ask her if she smoked ‘green’ and told her he had a car full of it he needed to offload. 

The local woman spoke to management about the man, who was soon asked to leave the premises. 

‘Afterwards, there was a hand grenade looking thing on the table in the smoking area,’ she said. 

The complex was evacuated, and Ms Perez went to another pokies venue.

‘I was sitting at the machine for not even five minutes, and the same man sits next to me,’ she said. 

‘He didn’t even recognise me.’

Concerned, she approached the manager of the second venue and alerted them to what had happened at Westwaters. Ms Perez said within just a matter of minutes, dozens of police had swarmed the pub. 

‘Ironically, he parked his car next to mine, so I couldn’t get out,’ she said. 

‘I had to leave my car there.’

Ms Perez said the man had a European appearance, and was well dressed and carrying a white cane, often used by blind people.   



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk