Father and Son Discover Historic Artillery Cache in Czech Forest Near Poland Border

PRAGUE, Czech Republic — November 22, 2025 — A routine metal detecting outing by a father and son near the Czech-Poland border resulted in the discovery of a significant cache of buried artillery shells, authorities said Friday. The find prompted an immediate response from the Czech bomb disposal unit, which secured the area and began a controlled removal operation.

Officials reported that the discovery occurred in a forested area close to the border, where the pair was using metal detectors to search for historical artifacts. During their search, they uncovered several unexploded artillery shells believed to date back to a past military conflict, though the exact period has not been confirmed.

The father and son alerted local authorities upon finding the ordnance, leading to the deployment of a specialized bomb squad. The team cordoned off the site to ensure public safety and initiated a careful examination and extraction of the shells. No injuries were reported during the operation.

Authorities emphasized the potential dangers associated with handling unexploded military ordnance and urged the public to report any similar findings to officials rather than attempting to move or disturb such items.

The Czech Ministry of Defense and local law enforcement are collaborating to investigate the origin and historical context of the artillery shells. Preliminary assessments suggest the munitions may be remnants from World War II or Cold War-era military activities, common in border regions with complex historical military presence.

Metal detecting has been a popular hobby in the region, known for its rich history and numerous sites related to past conflicts. However, officials continue to stress caution due to the risk posed by unexploded ordnance that can remain active decades after being buried.

The bomb disposal team plans to safely transport the recovered shells to a secure facility for further analysis and disposal. The area where the shells were found remains under surveillance to ensure no additional hazardous items are present.

This incident highlights ongoing challenges in managing historical military remnants in Central Europe, where past conflicts have left behind dangerous materials that occasionally surface during civilian activities such as metal detecting or land development.

Authorities are expected to issue additional guidance to hobbyists and the public about recognizing and responding to discoveries of potentially explosive artifacts in the coming weeks.