SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (Tribune News Service) — The Santa Cruz Police Station and the corner of Center and Laurel streets were closed for about an hour around 2 p.m. Monday after a community member brought what he believed was a grenade to the station to turn it in.

Santa Cruz Police spokesperson Joyce Blaschke said officials confirmed the object to be a military-grade incendiary thermite grenade and the community member who handed it over meant well.

Blaschke said the reporting party found the grenade while helping to clean out someone else's residence.

The grenade, held by an intact metal casing, was removed by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad from the front seat of the reporting party's car, and law enforcement officials ultimately rendered the situation safe.

"Happy to help, and thankful it ended without injury to anyone involved," wrote a representative from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office in response to a Facebook post from Santa Cruz Police.

Santa Cruz Police advised that should anyone from the public encounter a military ordnance or explosive objects such as grenades, pipe bombs, dynamite sticks or gunpowder in the future, they should not touch it and should call the Police Department or Sheriff's Office immediately.

None of these munitions should be considered safe, regardless of size or packaging, and local law enforcement should be contacted to assess the situation.

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