The army made an urgent house call in Masterton on Thursday night after a resident discovered a Mills bomb [a type of grenade] in their garden.
The resident was digging in their garden when they discovered the device and promptly took a photo to the Masterton Police Station.
Police then contacted the explosive ordnance disposal [EOD] team of the New Zealand Defence Force [NZDF].
A NZDF spokesperson confirmed that an EOD team responded to a request for assistance and identified the item as an “inert Mills bomb [grenade].”
Wairarapa area commander Scott Miller said contacting the police was absolutely the right thing to do in this situation.
Miller said that in such circumstances police will send pictures of any devices found to the NZDF, who will assess and then deploy an EOD team as needed.
Though this device was considered inert due to not having a detonator, the EOD team still took it away to be destroyed.
Miller recommended that anyone who finds a potential explosive device stay far away from it and “certainly don’t touch it”.
It is also advisable for affected residents to go to their neighbour’s homes and let them know the situation so they, too, can move to a safe distance.
“Anyone who discovers a potentially dangerous item should always exercise caution until the item is deemed safe by an expert. If you do discover something that might be dangerous, remain clear of the item and contact New Zealand Police as soon as possible,” the NZDF spokesperson said.
