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For the strange public-service announcement of the day, the Glendale Police Department urges that you not pick up any random flashlights you find around the city.
Even stranger is the reason why — two citizens have discovered that the flashlight they found was actually an improvised explosive device.
According to Glendale police those two residents found regular yellow handheld flashlights outside, and both flashlights exploded when they tried to turn them on.
“Thankfully, no one was seriously injured in either event, but Explosive Ordinance Experts say that these devices were built to inflict serious injury,” police say in a statement.
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Local police agencies are working on the case, but as you can imagine, federal agencies are involved as well.
Just to be sure, if you find a flashlight that isn’t yours — any flashlight — don’t pick the friggin’ thing up.
Both of the explosives were housed in the flashlights pictured above, but Glendale police say “explosives experts” are asking that you call 9-1-1 if you find any flashlight, no matter what color or shape.
