New owners clean out storage unit — and uncover a land mine, Colorado cops say

A storage unit near Denver whose contents were purchased at auction turned out to contain a land mine, Colorado sheriff’s officials said.

Authorities issued a shelter-in-place order around the storage lot and called on the military for help at 5:49 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said in an alert.

Experts determined the mine was inert and safely removed it from the unit, officials said. They lifted the shelter-in-place order after about two hours.

The new owners were clearing out the unit after purchasing the contents sight unseen, sheriff’s officials told KCNC.

“It’s unusual,” Jenny Fulton, sheriff’s office spokesperson, told KDVR. “I know sometimes we see grenades that have been found, and those are rendered safe, but a land mine is new to me.”

Jefferson County is about 30 miles southwest of Denver.

This story was originally published January 25, 2024 at 10:28 AM with the headline "New owners clean out storage unit — and uncover a land mine, Colorado cops say."