Possible Korean War hand grenade brought to Lakeland Police station safely disposed of: Officials
LAKELAND, Fla. - The Lakeland Police Department was temporarily closed Sunday after a citizen brought in an old hand grenade to the station, authorities confirmed. The station and affected roadways have since reopened.
On Sunday afternoon, a "well-meaning citizen" brought a box to the police department with what was believed to be an old hand grenade inside, the department said.
According to police, the citizen was cleaning out a family member's personal items when they found the item. As a precaution, officers secured the police station while members of the Tampa Bomb Squad were called in to establish a safety perimeter, inspect the device and safely dispose of it. The Bomb Squad disposed of the grenade without incident, police said.
What was in the box?
Authorities confirmed the item was a live hand grenade – believed to be from the Korean War.
What you can do:
Though police said the community member "meant well," they urged people to call police first.
"In hindsight, if anyone finds a suspicious device, call the police immediately rather than handle it," Lakeland Police said in a statement. "Contact your local law enforcement agency and let them come to you to assess the situation."
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from the Lakeland Police Department.