The West Bend Police Department received a call from the St. Vincent de Paul store regarding a concerning device discovered among donated items that employees believed could potentially be a grenade. It happened on Tuesday, May 26 at 1:29 p.m.

Officers worked with members of the store staff to temporarily close the business while the item was evaluated. The Milwaukee County Bomb Squad responded to assist and ultimately 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 was added to the local donation pile. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the West Bend Police Department at (262) 335-5000.

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, according to the West Bend Police Department.