Employees at a Goodwill store in Maine found hand grenades concealed in a donation box, prompting an evacuation of the store, according to officials per the NY Post.
The box, which had been left outside the Goodwill in Augusta, contained what appeared to be military-grade grenades and mortars, stated Morgan Sewall, a spokesperson for Goodwill Northern New England. Upon discovering the explosives on Tuesday morning, employees evacuated the store to allow the Maine State Police Bomb Squad to investigate the situation, Sewall explained.
The store reopened shortly after 1:10 p.m. once authorities declared the area safe. Customers were assured that the hand grenade was not active, as announced in a Facebook post by Goodwill Northern New England.
“Unfortunately this is oddly common,”
Sewall said in the statement.
“Many New Englanders collect antique weapons in their homes. We ask that people do not donate weaponry. Even if they know it is antique and safe, our store employees do not, and we need to take the precautions we have today,”
Sewall said. Police do not suspect any ill intent from the individual who left the antique explosive, according to WMTW.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
