July 26 (UPI) — A Canadian police officer lost a grenade launcher and a box of grenades when the weapons fell out of his truck, officials said.
A Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer was driving outside of Vancouver Sunday when a motorist got his attention to let him know that the truck’s rear hatch was open, reported Metro News.
The RCMP officer got out to close the door and found that he was missing a 40mm tactical launcher, a box of grenades, and some electronic equipment.
Police immediately set out to canvass the area to find the missing weapon, which can fire six grenades in three seconds.
The weapon is intended for “riot control, crowd control or breaching operations,” according to the manufacturer’s website, but can also be used to fire lethal munitions.
The officer is a member of the RCMP’s Integrated Emergency Response Team.
“A thorough search of the area was immediately conducted,” Staff Sgt. Annie Linteau said Monday.
Monday night, after approximately 36 hours with the grenade launcher unaccounted for, a citizen found the equipment and alerted authorities.
The weapons were located “as a result of media coverage,” Linteau said. Police confirmed all the missing items are accounted for.
An investigation is ongoing as to how the RCMP officer misplaced the grenade launcher.
