Bomb Squad Detonates 19th Century Cannonball Found by Antiques Collector

Spring cleaning can lead to some pretty shocking discoveries. Imagine rummaging through your garage and stumbling on a weapon amidst old knick-knacks.

According to a report from Fox25, South Shore veteran Bruce Wescott has spent decades buying and selling antiques for more than 40 years. It's not a new purchase, but the retired postmaster said that it can sometimes take him years before looking over the things he buys.

This time, an explosive surprise was waiting for him in one of his boxes. The 68-year-old actually found a 19th century live cannonball with a fuse still sticking out of it. Upon taking it to a nearby gun shop, Wescott realized the danger of his 15-pound antique bomb.

"'Hey I got a cannonball for you to buy, Civil War $1000!'" Wescott recounted his experience at the gun shop. "He took it right away and said 'buddy that looks live to me, out the door please.'"

The collector drove home, then promptly called the police who instructed him not to touch the cannonball. Wescott left it on his front lawn as the neighbors were evacuated to safety.

The bomb squad took the grapefruit-sized cannonball to the town landfill where they were able to detonate it with no problems, according to a report from Boston Globe. The officers believe that the cannonball was "live ordinance and contained explosives".

"The citizen was very smart," Hull Police Department Chief John Dunn told Boston Globe. "It's refreshing that he would call the police so fast."

No one was injured or hurt in the experience. In fact, Wescott's 92-year-old mother reportedly enjoyed the experience and the attention from "three young strapping firemen".

In the meantime, Wescott will likely be keeping an eye on his antiques. 

"I really don't want to deal with cannonballs in the future, I'd rather stay away from cannonballs," Wescott said.