INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. — Alarming moments at a vacant condo Wednesday afternoon in Vero Beach, after a routine cleaning was anything but that for Tony Prezioso and his boss after an unlikely find.
"When she took the bag out and opened up the newspaper there was a grenade," he said.
Prezioso wasn't sure what to think.
"I took it, looked at it, couldn't tell if it was live or real," he said. "It could've been a replica for all I knew."
Prezioso's first call was to the Indian River County Sheriff's Office.
"We contacted our partners in the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office," said Sgt. Kevin Jaworski with the Indian River County Sheriff's Office. "Their bomb squad came out and took a look at it."
They ultimately determined it was a training grenade device that still can pose a serious risk.
Prezioso said the bomb squad told his boss the grenade still posed a threat.
"It was kind of hollowed out, so it was pretty much discharged," he said. "But there was enough charge in there that it could have went off and did some personal damage."
Prezioso is thankful an alarming moment did not become something worse.
"I’m very happy it didn't go off," he said.
The sheriff’s office said his call was the right one.
"We always encourage people if they see something suspicious to give us a call," Jaworski said. "It doesn't hurt us to come out and take a look at it. And determine if it's a real device or not."
Nearby residents are thankful the situation was diffused quickly.
