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Man arrested after bomb scare beside two Melbourne schools

A man has been arrested after a bomb scare close to two schools in Melbourne.

Police were called to Dandenong Road in St Kilda East at about 2.45pm after reports a man with a backpack allegedly made threats.

The bomb response unit assessed the man's backpack and no suspicious devices were found.

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Police were called to Dandenong Road in St Kilda East at about 2.45pm today.

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A nearby primary school, St Mary's Primary School, and a secondary school were placed into lockdown as a precautionary measure.

A 45-year-old man was arrested on Westbury Street and is expected to be interviewed.

Police do not believe the incident is religiously or ideologically motivated.

A spokesperson for St Mary's Primary School said "appropriate precautions were enacted at 2.40pm while Victoria Police detained a person in close proximity to the school".

"Students continued their lessons and were dismissed at the usual time of 3.30pm," the spokesperson said. 

"The alleged offender did not enter the grounds of the primary school."

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