"Why Is This Here?"... Chilling Item Found While Sorting Through Secondhand Goods

"Handling an 80-Year-Old Explosive Device Is Dangerous and Requires Precision"
"Call 911 Immediately If You Find Old Military Explosives"

A U.S. resident called police after finding a grenade believed to date back to World War II while sorting through items they had purchased secondhand.

Austin Police Association Instagram

According to UPI on October 14 local time, Austin police in Texas responded to an unusual report from a resident on October 12.

The resident had bought several boxes at an estate sale and found a grenade believed to date back to World War II while looking through their contents. An estate sale is an event where household belongings are sold in bulk, often because they belonged to someone who has died or are being disposed of ahead of a move.

Austin Police Department's bomb squad, which responded to the scene, confirmed that one of the boxes contained a grenade that could actually explode. The Austin Police Association said on its official Instagram account, "Handling an 80-year-old explosive device whose stability has not been confirmed is dangerous and requires precision. The grenade was safely collected and removed from the scene."

It added, "There was no crime involved in this incident," and urged the public: "If you find an old military explosive device, such as a grenade, artillery shell or mortar shell, never touch or move it, even if you think it is inert. Call 911 and leave it to professionals to handle."

Austin Police Association Instagram

Authorities added that "this is not something commonly found at an estate sale."

Local internet users who heard about the incident shared various reactions, including, "I'm so grateful to the bomb squad. I hope they can do their work safely," "The person who found the grenade must have been startled," and "I've never come across anything like this at an estate sale."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.