Cache of 100-Year-Old Grenades Discovered in Thousand Oaks

A cache of grenades and other explosives, dating back nearly a century, was discovered in Thousand Oaks over the weekend.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad was called to the scene after a family found the explosives while organizing the belongings of their late grandfather, a World War II veteran. The cache included authentic Japanese, British, and American grenades.

Explosive ordnance disposal technicians from the U.S. Navy seized the explosives. Despite their historical significance, the explosives were marked for destruction due to potential safety hazards. “Although an attempt was made, some of these items still contained possible explosive hazards,” the sheriff’s office stated.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office advises the public to leave possible explosives in place, evacuate the area, and call 911. They emphasized that distinguishing inert military memorabilia from live munitions can be difficult for the untrained eye, stating, “It’s always better to be safe than sorry.”