WWII-era grenade in car’s trunk prompts Taco Bell evacuation

OCALA, Fla. – When a World War II-era hand grenade came to a Taco Bell in central Florida, everyone else had to leave.

In Facebook posts, Ocala Police said a treasure hunter found the grenade while magnet fishing Saturday in Ocklawaha. Magnet fishing is a form of treasure hunting that uses magnets to retrieve items from bodies of water.

Police say the man put the grenade in the trunk of his car and drove to the restaurant in Ocala, about 15 miles (25 kilometres) away, where he called authorities to report finding the small explosive device.

The restaurant was evacuated and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad was dispatched to remove the grenade. Ocala Police said it was authenticated as a World War II-era weapon and would be destroyed.