Did This New York Resident Find An RPG In His Yard?

weapon of destruction (l) man cleaning his backyard for birthday (c) balloons in backyard for birthday (r)

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Most yardwork involves clearing out sticks and leaves. This guy’s landscaping job, however, led to a call to the bomb squad.

In a post on Reddit’s r/mildlyinfuriating, Peekskill, New York-based user xCaliburghost explains that he was trying to “beautify” his yard when he discovered something wild: an RPG.

“Went on a digging spree removing roots from my backyard and then stumbled across an RPG,” he writes in the body of the post. “Had to call the police, then had to wait for the bomb squad, fire engines, etc.”

What Did This Man Find In His Yard?

In a series of comments, he elaborates on what exactly happened. According to the Redditor, he was digging when he came across the apparent RPG. At first, he wasn’t sure what it was.

“I picked it up from the tailfin and walked it over and gently placed it away from everything. It was a stupid impulse but I wasn’t thinking very clearly,” he wrote in a comment. “Initially, before I fully wiped the dirt off of it, I thought it was a cast iron pipe, then when I cleared it, I freaked then moved it away.”

From there, he called the police’s non-emergency line. After answering a few questions, he was told that the appropriate experts would show up as soon as possible and that he should not approach it.

The Police Arrive

According to the Redditor, the whole process took around three hours.

“Police came in minutes, then a few more cruisers, then a K9 unit (not sure why the k9 but they came as well) then the fire squad, then they had to call county to request the bomb squad, bomb squad sgt arrived himself, inspected it initially, asked me questions, etc.,” the user wrote. “Then, about an hour later it was a big ambulance looking truck with all the bomb gear and robots, etc.”

After examining the item, officials allegedly told the Redditor that they could not be sure whether it still posed a danger.

“So the bomb squad put it under this x-ray briefcase looking thing. They scanned it for a few minutes (they were looking at the insides with that iPad you can see in the one picture) and said it didn’t look like it was completely full but they couldn’t fully verify so they had someone in a bigger suit come and take it away. They said they wanted to be sure it wasn’t dangerous,” he explained. “If it turns out that it’s not dangerous, the cops I was talking to said I could just reach out to the county bomb squad to request it back.”

In an update post, the user said the item was confirmed to be inert. That said, he was not allowed to keep it as “they do not want the same thing happening in 30 years.”

Why Was There An RPG In His Yard To Begin With?

In the comments, some users speculated about what this item was and how it got there. One user suggested it was an M6A1 Anti-Tank Rocket, commonly used in bazookas in World War II.

As for how it got there, no one can be sure. However, one commenter had a theory based on the Redditor’s location.

“The reason you likely found this in Peekskill NY, is your proximity to Camp Smith. It has been a major training site for the New York National Guard for over a century,” the user wrote. “During the mid-20th century, heavy weapons training and live-fire exercises were common there…”

This is largely true. Back in 2009, the National Guard put out a press release saying that soldiers were planning to sweep the area for unexploded munitions from World War I. At the time of the article’s publication, officials claimed that almost 200 rounds had been found and disposed of in the area.

Has This Happened Before?

This has happened many, many times before.

In April 2026, a child found an 81 millimeter mortar explosive shell in Carmichael, California. Back in 2024, Texas residents were shocked when a live artillery shell was discovered in a backyard. There are numerous cases of this happening all over the country every year.

In situations like these, it’s best not to touch the questionable item. Instead, simply reach out to the police’s non-emergency line and explain the situation. From there, they will be able to provide the appropriate guidance, which may involve a bomb disposal unit. Plus, if it ends up being nothing, they may let you keep the dud bomb—and you’ll have a pretty great story to tell for the rest of your life.