A live military-grade hand grenade brought to the front counter of Dee Why Police Station forced officers to evacuate the building and establish an exclusion zone outside. The explosive had been discovered by a man in his 60s while clearing out a deceased estate.
The man arrived at the station at about 6 p.m. on Thursday, 8 October 2026, intending to hand over the device. He was understood to have been unsure how to report or surrender the grenade, with police inquiries later establishing that the incident was not intended as a threat.
An Unexpected Hand-In At The Police Counter
Officers immediately cleared the station and restricted access around the building at the corner of St David Avenue and Fisher Road. By approximately 6:30 p.m., police tape surrounded the premises, with officers gathered on the street outside. Northern Beaches Police Area Command Superintendent John Duncan was also observed at the scene, having attended while off duty.
Police initially treated the grenade as live and called in the NSW Police Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit to examine and safely remove it. The station remained closed while officers awaited the specialist team’s arrival.
Bomb Squad Clears The Way For Reopening
Specialist bomb disposal officers arrived shortly after 7:30 p.m. and entered the station’s reception area to assess the grenade. After examining and documenting the device, the officers placed it inside a container filled with sand before removing it from the building. The grenade was subsequently seized for further examination.
With the explosive safely removed, police were able to return to the station at approximately 7:40 p.m., ending a closure that had lasted around one hour and 40 minutes. NSW Police confirmed that nobody was injured during the incident and that there was no ongoing threat to the public.
Although the grenade was confirmed to be live, police established that the man had brought it to the station after finding it during the estate clean-out, rather than as a threat. No charges were being laid over the incident, while inquiries into the grenade’s origins were continuing.
Published 10-October-2026
