POST FALLS - The Spokane Bomb Squad was called to the Post Falls Police station on Monday night to detonate what appeared to be a pipe bomb that had been taken to the station.

"A guy had found it sitting on the side of the road and thought he should probably take it to the police station," Kootenai County Sheriff's Office Lt. Stu Miller said.

Miller said the device was found in the area of Signal Point Road south of Post Falls.

It was taken to the Post Falls police station by a Kootenai County male resident around 6:30 p.m.

The resident left the device inside the car.

Police sectioned off an area around the car and secured a field next to the police station where the device was rendered safe at 8:50 p.m.

The police station did not have to be evacuated during the incident.

Post Falls Police Capt. Greg McLean said the device was a 6-inch piece of galvanized pipe. Both ends were capped and a fuse was coming out of one end.

McLean said investigators weren't totally sure it was a pipe bomb, but it appeared to be made as one.

"Many times the bomb squad won't risk it (investigating the contents of the device) and decide to render it safe on scene," he said.

McLean said if residents find a suspicious device they should contact law enforcement immediately and don't transport it anywhere.

"The best thing to do is leave it where you find it and call authorities," McLean said. "It's not safe to pick it up and move it to a different location.

"This isn't the first time that this has happened."