MILITARY personnel headed to Warracknabeal on Wednesday, after a World War II-era mortar shell was handed in to police.
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Sergeant Kylie Newell said a couple moving house in Jeparit discovered the device in a shed behind a cupboard, and took it to a second hand dealer in Warracknabeal.
She said officers from Victoria Police's bomb response unit confirmed the shell was live after being notified by the dealer.
"The couple did their research and found they could get money for it," she said.
"The unit mobilised the army from Puckapunyal to come and collect it for us," she said. "They will take the item to a place in Gippsland to destroy it."
Sergeant Newell said she had heard from the military discoveries of this nature were common across Victoria.
"If you've got something like that, take a clear photo of it, clear the area and contact authorities straight away," she said.
"Don't touch and don't move them because if they are live and get damaged, they have the propensity to explode.
"If they are not active they are collectable item, but if you don't know for sure, don't touch them."
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