On 22 April 2025, at around 7:10 a.m., an 82 mm mortar shell from World War II was found in a forest complex near Turystyczna Street in Piechowice. (The duty officer at the Municipal Police Headquarters in Jelenia Góra received a report from a concerned tourist.)
A patrol was immediately dispatched to the scene and confirmed the report. The Headquarters:
To prevent any potential danger, police officers secured the area and prevented bystanders from entering the scene. After bomb-disposal specialists from the Military Unit in Bolesławiec arrived, the shell was secured and will be neutralized safely.
Police are appealing for extreme caution—despite the passage of time, finds of this kind still pose a huge threat!
What should you do when you find unexploded ordnance?
Officers advise:
- Do not touch, move or attempt to dismantle such an object! Even after several decades, it may still be active and could explode with the slightest movement.
- Do not dig up or uncover suspicious objects! Out of curiosity, many people try to expose a find—this is extremely dangerous and can lead to explosions with tragic consequences.
- Notify the emergency services immediately! If you find an object resembling a shell, mine, grenade or another military item, contact the Police as soon as possible by calling 112. Until the services arrive, secure the area so that no one approaches the find.
- Warn others! If you are walking in the forest, working on a construction site or cultivating a field and come across a suspicious object, inform nearby people and do not let anyone touch it.
Police are appealing for prudence and caution. Every piece of unexploded ordnance poses a real threat to health and life—only a prompt response and notification of the appropriate services can prevent a tragedy.