OAKLAND -- An Oakland man has been arrested after authorities found a suspicious device, weapons, ammunition and illegal fireworks inside his apartment near Lake Merritt, according to Oakland police spokesman Roland Holmgren.

Authorities thought the suspicious device at Mark Mandel's apartment at 1525 Jackson St. looked "very real" and might be a pipe bomb, but the Alameda County Sheriff's bomb squad set off the device and discovered that it was a hoax because it didn't have any explosive powder, Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. J.D. Nelson said.

No one was injured in the incident, but as a precautionary measure the apartment building was evacuated as were two other apartment buildings adjacent to it, Holmgren said.

In addition, Jackson Street was closed in the vicinity of 15th Street, he said.

According to Holmgren, the apartment manager at 1525 Jackson St. called police at 11:45 a.m. today to report a suspicious device, as he found galvanized wires protruding from a shoebox.

The manager was at Mandel's apartment to do some renovations, he said.

The device had a recording of an explosion followed by the message, "Thanks for your help," Holmgren said.

Authorities also found survivalist materials inside Mandel's apartment, according to Holmgren.

Mandel was arrested in Danville and currently is being questioned by Oakland police, Holmgren said.

Nelson said Sheriff's officials will destroy the illegal fireworks and ammunition.