Texas shopper found six live WWII in a box: ‘Not your typical estate sale find’
An estate sale purchase took an unexpected turn after a Texas man discovered six live World War II-era grenades inside boxes he had bought, prompting a response from the Austin Police Department’s bomb squad. The discovery was reported after the man began sorting through his purchases in Austin. According to ABC News, police received a call at around 4 p.m. local time after he found what appeared to be military grenades among the items.
Officers in Texas secured the area and established a safety perimeter while the department’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal team examined the devices. The bomb squad used x-ray imaging to assess the grenades and determined that all six were ‘live and active.’
The buyer didn’t expect live grenades in those estate sale boxes
The grenades appeared to be U.S. Mk 2 fragmentation grenades, commonly known as “pineapple” grenades because of their distinctive grooved bodies. The model was used by the U.S. military during World War II and in subsequent conflicts.
Although the devices were around 80 years old, their age did not mean they were harmless. Police said the bomb squad assessed them using X-ray imaging before carrying out procedures to eliminate the potential danger.
The danger is not limited to explosives found at estate sales. In another case, a man discovered that his seemingly ordinary paperweight was actually a potentially dangerous explosive and cannonballs found in a traveler’s luggage, showing how easily old military ordnance can be mistaken for a harmless object.
The Austin Police Association praised the officers who responded, noting the risks involved in handling old explosives whose stability is uncertain. Patrol officers had secured the scene and protected nearby residents while the bomb squad worked. Authorities have not publicly explained why the grenades were among the items sold at the estate sale or how they came to be there. It is also unclear whether the seller knew the boxes contained explosives.
WWII memorabilia can come with a dangerous catch
The discovery prompted police to remind the public that old military objects can remain dangerous decades after they were manufactured. The Austin Police Association urged anyone who encounters suspected military ordnance, including grenades, shells, or mortar rounds, not to touch or move the objects and to call 911 instead.
Finding old military equipment among secondhand belongings is not unheard of. Families sometimes discover ordnance among the possessions of veterans, but determining whether such objects are inert requires appropriate expertise and equipment.
In this case, the buyer alerted authorities rather than attempting to handle the grenades himself. The bomb squad ultimately removed all six devices, and police said there was no ongoing investigation into the incident.
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