A man using a metal detector on St. Pete Beach located an item that appeared to be a grenade, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

Cliff Vogan, 60, was about 20 feet offshore when he found the device and brought it onshore, deputies said.

Deputies arrived and cordoned off the beach area behind the Sirata Beach Resort, located at 5300 Gulf Boulevard.

"It looked absolutely genuine,” said Sgt. Kelly Bush. “I wasn't going to pick it up."

Hillsborough County Sheriff's bomb squad responded to the scene and took possession of the device.

Members of the bomb squad said they determined the object was an inert military device that had been in the water for some time, as it had barnacles on it and it had corroded.

Vogan said he didn't believe the grenade was live.

"The fact that it didn't blow up on me when I dug it up with the scoop, I felt comfortable with it and I saw the pin in, so I walked to shore with it," Vogan said.

Vogan said he often comes to St. Pete Beach from New Port Richey to look for coins and jewelry in the Gulf but this is the first time he's found a grenade.

"This definitely makes for the most interesting day metal detecting,” he said.

Deputies said the bomb squad will destroy the device at a later date.

The evacuation was lifted. The investigation continues.

