WEST BEND, Wis. - An investigation is underway after a "flash bang" device was discovered among donated items at a St. Vincent de Paul store in West Bend on Tuesday, May 26.
Device found
What we know:
According to the West Bend Police Department, officers were called out to the store around 1:30 p.m. after employees discovered the device – believing it could potentially be a grenade.
Out of an abundance of caution, officers worked with store staff to temporarily close the business while the item was evaluated.
The Milwaukee County Bomb Squad determined the item to be a "flash bang" device, which is designed to create a bright flash of light and loud noise as a distraction device when deployed.
The West Bend Police Department is still investigating how this particular item came to be in the local donation pile.
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Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the West Bend Police Department at 262-335-5000.
West Bend police reminder
"Law enforcement agencies receive similar calls each year, often when families are cleaning out the homes or belongings of deceased military veterans and unknowingly discover old military-related items."
"If members of the public encounter a suspicious device or unknown military-related item, they should not touch or handle it. Instead, they should contact their local police department, which can assist in determining the safest and most appropriate course of action for disposal."
The Source: The information in this post was provided by the West Bend Police Department.