'Flash bang device' found among donated items at St. Vincent de Paul, West Bend police investigating
WEST BEND, Wis. (CBS 58) -- West Bend police are investigating after the discovery of a "concerning device" among donated items at St. Vincent de Paul.
The police department received a call just before 1:30 p.m. Tuesday after employees located an item they believed to be a possible grenade.
"Officers in route for a suspicious grenade found in a donation," could be heard over the police scanner.
The store was temporarily closed while the Milwaukee County Bomb Squad responded to investigate the situation.
Police say the item was determined to be an active "flash bang device," designed to create a bright flash of light and loud noise when deployed, typically used as a distraction.
The item, according to West Bend Police Department's Brian McAndrews, looked like the one pictured below. He says ATF estimates it to be for military use from the early 2000s, likely from the war in Iraq.
A flash bang similar to the one donated, according to West Bend Police
Though not as dangerous as a grenade, Lt. McAndrews says if someone were to somehow detonate the active device, it "could've been harmful to them."
This isn't the first call of this kind received by West Bend police, and Lt. McAndrews thinks it likely won't be the last:
"It’s not as uncommon as you’d think. There's a lot of older military veterans beginning to pass away. Those in the Vietnam era are passing away. They brought a lot of trinkets home, sometimes with permission, some without permission. Something slipped off to the side in a bunker bag, and [they] don’t realize they have it."
He doesn't believe the flash bang device was left maliciously, just by someone misinformed.
"Sometimes when family members pass away, other family members will make a donation to a thrift store and local community, thinking they’re going to repurpose something, not knowing what was there. I think that’s a case of what this might be." -- Lt. McAndrews
Officials are still investigating how this item ended up in the local donation pile and who left it there, to help them in disposing of other similar items. Anyone who encounters a suspicious device or unknown military-related item is asked to contact their local police department and avoid touching or handling it.
Anyone with information is asked to contact West Bend police at 262-335-5000.