Man accused of Collins St, Melbourne bomb scare identified as police search address in Geelong

A man charged following a suspected bomb scare in Melbourne’s CBD on Wednesday has been identified, with several explosive devices allegedly found at a Geelong home also linked to the midday incident.

Police, including the bomb squad, were called to Collins St during lunch hour on Wednesday, focussing their attention on a white Volkswagen that had been parked outside an office building.

Officers searched the vehicle and allegedly located a firearm and a quantity of drugs.

Steven Maulden, 33, was arrested at the scene.

Detectives later executed a search warrant at a North Shore address in Geelong.

The Bomb Response Unit attended the Geelong address, with several sandbags set up in a park across the street.

Neighbours told 7NEWS they heard several explosions as police detonated devices they found.

“It stresses you out a little bit but it’s good to see that the SES and the police were all on top of it, doing as much as they could,” one neighbour said.

“They were blocking the road off ... they were taking a few extra precautions to make sure that we did feel a bit safer.”

Maulden, from Parkville, was charged with a series of offences including making or possessing an explosive substance, a bomb hoax, trafficking a drug of dependence and theft of a motor vehicle.

He did not apply for bail when he faced court on Thursday.

Court documents revealed he is accused of making two bombs at his North Shore home.

Police have been clear that the incident was not terror-related.

The area in Collins St was cleared and declared safe at 1pm.