Ottawa police and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are urging residents to think twice before playing bomb disposal expert with anything found in a basement, garage, or storage unit — after a 77-year-old woman walked into an OPP station carrying what turned out to be an unexploded grenade.
What happened
According to the Ottawa Citizen, the woman apparently came across the old grenade — likely a wartime souvenir or family heirloom of the kind occasionally unearthed in attics and estate cleanouts across the Ottawa region — and decided the simplest solution was to drive it straight to her local police station and hand it over the counter.
Station staff quickly recognized the risk and had the area cleared while specialized personnel were called in to safely assess and remove the item. No one was hurt, but police say the incident could have gone very differently.
Why you shouldn't do this yourself
OPP officials were blunt in their response: if you find something that might be an unexploded shell, grenade, or other piece of old ordnance, do not pick it up, do not put it in your car, and do not drive it anywhere — including to a police station.
"Don't bring unexploded material to police, they'll pick it up," was the message from officers, who explained that even decades-old military ordnance can remain live and unstable. Handling, jostling, or transporting these items dramatically increases the risk of an accidental detonation, putting the finder, other motorists, and anyone nearby in danger.
What to do if you find something like this
Instead, police recommend the following steps for Ottawa-area residents:
- Leave the item exactly where it is — don't touch it, move it, or attempt to disarm or examine it further
- Back away and keep others, including kids and pets, away from the area
- Call police non-emergency lines (or 911 if there's an immediate danger) and describe what you found and where
- Wait for trained officers or a bomb disposal unit to arrive and remove it safely
An Ottawa problem more than you'd think
With the National Capital Region's deep military history — from wartime training grounds to generations of veterans and collectors settling in and around Ottawa — old munitions occasionally turn up when families clean out homes, cottages, or storage lockers. Local police say this isn't the first time someone has unknowingly kept a hazardous item, and they'd rather residents call it in than attempt a DIY delivery.
Anyone in the Ottawa area who comes across a suspected grenade, shell, or other old ordnance is asked to leave it in place and contact police immediately rather than transporting it themselves.
Source: Ottawa Citizen
