Sometimes good deeds have unexpected consequences.
British Columbia Provincial Police found this to be the case Monday after a donor accidentally dropped a World War II-era grenade into a donation bin at a thrift store.
“You never know what you’ll find if you’re frugal, but yesterday proved that to be true,” the Abbotsford Police Department said in a Facebook post Tuesday.
A 911 caller from the Value Village store in Abbotsford told police Monday that there was an apparent explosive device, which was discovered by thrift store staff.
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A World War II-era grenade was accidentally donated to a Value Village store in Abbotsford, British Columbia. (Abbotsford Police Department / Google Maps)
“Officers in attendance carefully evacuated the store and surrounding businesses, and officers from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit (EDU) attended to assess the device, make it safe, and dispose of it. “We were waiting for him,” the police department said.
“Officers cordoned off the business area to reduce any potential risk to the public.”
Authorities eventually discovered the grenade was a discarded Mills bomb. Its origins date back to World War II, and it is no longer explosive.
The Abbotsford Police Department told Fox News Digital that the grenade has since been destroyed. (Abbotsford Police Department)
Officials say a resident used it as a paperweight and accidentally donated it.
An Abbotsford Police Department spokesperson told FOX News Digital that the grenade was later destroyed by an EDU officer.
“The grenade was not donated by the previous owner and close inspection of the EDU revealed that the grenade did not contain any explosives before being disposed of,” said Officer Art Stella. did.
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A 911 caller from the Value Village store in Abbotsford told police about the grenade on Monday. (Google Maps)
Stere added that this type of situation is “unusual” for the department.
“We were very relieved to learn that the grenade was disposed of, but we want to make sure we take precautions to vet donations before people drop them off,” a police officer told FOX News Digital.
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Abbotsford police were relieved the grenade did not become an explosive. (Google Maps)
Fox News Digital reached out to Value Village for comment but did not receive a response.
