SALT LAKE CITY -

Friday at Brasher’s Salt Lake Auto Auction, a pipe bomb was apparently discovered in a car that technicians were preparing for sale, according to news reports. Thankfully, police were able to disarm the bomb and everyone was safe.

As of Saturday, authorities had not yet determined how or why it ended up there or who placed it.

“Our bomb techs responded and inspected that device,” Salt Lake City detective Lisa Pascadlo said in one of the reports. “(They) determined that it was indeed an explosive device. They rendered it safe.”

She added: “Obviously we will want to definitely investigate where that car came from and how there came to be a pipe bomb in the vehicle.”

Lt. Isaac Atencio said in another report: “Nobody knows how it got there.”

Apparently, a robot was used to deactivate the device, witnesses said.

E-mails to Brasher’s and a message left with Salt Lake City police’s public information officer by Auto Remarketing were not immediately returned Monday morning. Stay tuned to Auto Remarketing for updates as they develop.