Story Archive

Trash Collection Costs Go Sky High

“We’re grateful the homeowner contacted us,” says Const. Sandasha Bough of the London, Ont., Canada, police. Danny Vellow called when he found a World War I-era artillery shell someone put out on the curb with the trash. “Lo and behold, I almost stepped on the bomb,” Vellow said. “I was like, ‘Holy heck, eh?’” It was no practice shell or dud: the bomb squad said it was loaded with 10 kg (22 pounds) of explosives, and took it to a military base for disposal. Vellow says when police arrived and asked if he had reported a bomb, “I said, ‘it’s right there.’ He looks down and he’s only three feet away from it.” The officer immediately moved his patrol car “way down on the other side of the street.” Vellow says the landlord must have put the bomb out with the trash after evicting the tenants. “Those idiots had that in their house,” he said. (RC/CBC) ...Idiots, sure, but it takes an obliviot to put it out in the trash.