The five hand grenades found among the donations at the Goodwill Industries store in Rostraver Tuesday likely came from the home of a California Borough resident who died in 2004, police said.
Rostraver police Chief Greg Resetar said four of the hand grenades had holes drilled in them and the fifth was intact but empty of powder.
"Based on some information found with the items, they seemed to come from an individual deceased since 2004," Resetar said Wednesday. "We don't think there's any malice or intent to cause inconvenience."
Resetar said the person who left the hand grenades, along with rifle parts and 12 metal pipes, probably was cleaning out a house. "We don't even know when they were dropped off," he added.
The items were found in a plastic storage box dropped off at the store on 140 Finley Road. Employees called local police after they noticed the grenades. The Allegheny County Bomb Squad was summoned and the store was evacuated along with the adjacent Big Lots store.
"By looking at them, you never know. They can be volatile," Resetar said. "You err on the side of caution."
Resetar said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms was expected to claim the gun parts "to follow up with who may have been cleaning up the residence."
David Tobiczyk, vice president of marketing and development for Goodwill Industries of Pittsburgh, said Rostraver store was back to normal yesterday.
"A lot of people dropping off donations were assuring us there was nothing wrong (with the contents)," Tobiczyk said. "The customers have been great, the donors have been great in taking away the stress."
