A Goodwill in Augusta, Maine, received a wooden box filled with donations on Tuesday, February 11. As they usually do, Goodwill staff took the box into a back room for sorting. When they opened the box, they were troubled as they found a grenade inside. The closed was closed down for hours, people were evacuated, and a bomb squad took the grenade and fuses away.
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According to the Boston Globe, the incident took place at the Goodwill located near Interstate 95. Augusta Police officers arrived at the store at around 11 a.m., answering the staff members' report of a "suspicious box."
"A box containing possible military grenades and/or mortars was discovered amongst the donated items," reads a press release issued by the Augusta Police Department.
Following the report, the Maine State Police bomb team arrived at the store after it was evacuated. Inside the wooden box, they found a "spent training grenade." Alongside it were two fuses for "artillery shells" according to Shannon Moss, a public information officer. The bomb team decided to be extra cautious and took the items with them as they couldn't determine whether they were dangerous or not at the scene.
The identity of the donor has not been revealed, but police do not believe there was any ill intent.
Oddly Common
Moss, in her email sent to the Boston Globe, would state that dealing with found military weapons such as grenades is something police are accustomed to.
"The team gets called out often to people's homes who are searching through a loved one's belongings who has just passed away, maybe they were in the military," Moss said. To her, however, the incident that took place at the Augusta Goodwill store is "a little unusual."
A Goodwill Northern New England spokesperson, Morgan Sewall, shared a statement with WMTW, addressing the incident. Similarly to Moss, Sewall called situations similar to Tuesday's "oddly common."
"Many New Englanders collect antique weapons in their homes. We ask that people do not donate weaponry," Sewall said. "Even if they know it is antique and safe, our store employees do not, and we need to take the precautions we have today."
Goodwill Northern New England also shared updates regarding the incident. At 12:57 p.m., the store announced its temporary closure due to the grenade incident. Only 15 minutes later, they announced that the store was open. They, however, reminded people not to donate weaponry, linking to their list of acceptable donations.
"Please do not donate weaponry," the store wrote. "Even if you know it is antique and safe, our store employees do not, and we need to take the necessary precautions we have today."
