WWI Munitions Destroyed By Bomb Squad

World War I munitions stored in a San Rafael home were safely removed and destroyed by a bomb squad Friday afternoon, according to the San Rafael Police Department.

A woman called the San Rafael Police Department and told officers that she had been storing some World War I grenades that had been passed down from her grandfather, officials said.

Her husband was concerned about the relics and wanted the police's help with their removal, officials said.

A bomb squad from the University of California at Berkeley Police Department responded and identified a mortar, a grenade and degraded ammunition, according to police.

The bomb squad transported the items to another location, where they were safely detonated, officials said.

Because the munitions were considered war trophies, no arrests were made.

A similiar situation occurred on March 6 when a man , estimated to be from the World War II era, in a box when cleaning out his deceased father’s shop.  The grenades, still “live” according to Firefighter Paramedic Conan Kelly, were capable of delivering a blast of shrapnel up to 75 feet and dispersing tear gas.

If you find an explosive device, firefighters advise that you leave it where it is and call 9-1-1 immediately.

Bay City News contributed to this report.