The discovery of the incident caused widespread disruption, with nearby shops and 15 homes being evacuated.
Councillor Neil Kelly said: “Those behind this viable pipe bomb clearly have no regards for the lives of others in the community.
“This was a busy Saturday afternoon when many people shopping in the centre of Crumlin. If this device had gone undetected we could have been left with a much more serious situation.
“This is despicable act has no place in our community and I would urge anyone with information to contact the PSNI as soon as possible.”