Two Second World War grenades found in Narva, one retrieved from shop

A Narva man quarreled with staff at a secondhand shop on May 14 and pulled a rusted WWII F-1 grenade from his pocket, which he brandished. Police detained the man on the street outside the shop, and the security service (KaPo) is now investigating. The same week, police confiscated another old grenade from another Narva resident.

An incident broke out in Narva on May 14 around 2 p.m., when an approximately 50-year-old man named Aleksander entered a secondhand shop on Pushkin Street and got into a dispute with the staff. During the argument, the man pulled a Second World War-era F-1 grenade, known as a "lemon," from his pocket and began brandishing it. Security staff escorted him from the shop, and police detained him on the street outside.

A police and border guard spokesperson confirmed that the response was swift and decisive. "Police always respond to incidents of this nature with the utmost seriousness. The man was swiftly detained outside the shop, the grenade was located and confiscated. The security service (KaPo) will take it from here," the police said.

KaPo launches criminal investigation

A KaPo spokesperson confirmed that the agency has opened a criminal investigation. Authorities are examining the circumstances of the incident, the grenade's origin, its potential danger, and the identity of the violator. "As the investigation is in its early stages, we are unable to provide detailed information at this time," KaPo stated, promising further updates later.

According to local media, Aleksander is known for his interest in military history and has been searching the banks of the Narva River for objects related to the Second World War. He has previous violations for disorderly conduct while intoxicated. On this occasion, he apparently came to the shop to sell some of his finds, but the shop refused to accept them, which triggered the man's aggression and the incident. The incident was captured on the shop's internal security camera.

Second grenade found the same week

The same week, police confiscated another grenade from another man in Narva, this time discovered during a bag search. The rescue service released this information first, specifying that this grenade too was "old and rusted." The same bag also contained rusted ammunition cartridges and casings, likely also originating from Second World War battlefields.

Rust does not mean safety; experts stress that in ammunition decades old, the firing mechanism can still be functional and explosive.

Police warn residents

Police are urging residents to be cautious regarding any ammunition or weapons they find, regardless of their condition. "It is important to remember that all found ammunition, weapons, or objects that appear to be explosive devices can be seriously dangerous even decades later. Such items must not be touched, transported, or kept at home," police emphasize.