Police determined that the 60-year-old who called 192 to report finding dangerous items in Peščenica had actually placed a TNT bullet, anti-personnel mines, detonators, and 68 rounds of ammunition there himself.
The Zagreb Police Department has shed light on an unusual case of a false alarm that was triggered on August 4, 2026, at 12:25 PM by a 60-year-old Zagreb resident calling 192. He told the operator at the Operational Communications Center of the Zagreb Police Department: "In the bushes in Zagreb, near the bus turnaround in Peščenica, I found bags with explosive abandoned devices and ammunition left by some unknown person."
Police officers from several organizational units immediately went to the scene to verify the report and eliminate any potential danger to citizens. The report turned out to be true, but the criminal investigation led them in a completely different direction-straight to the informant himself.
As stated by the Zagreb police, further investigation revealed that the dangerous items at the location near the bus turnaround in Peščenica had been placed there by the very 60-year-old who reported them. These included a TNT bullet, an anti-personnel mine, a fuse, detonators, and 68 pieces of various ammunition that the man had kept in his home and decided to dispose of, but in a completely inappropriate manner.
"In doing so, he forced police officers from several organizational units of the Zagreb Police Department to respond urgently, who undertook a series of measures and actions to determine the truthfulness of the report," the police stated.
After gathering the information, the 60-year-old was arrested and taken in for criminal investigation. Once the police completed their proceedings, a criminal complaint was filed against him with the Municipal Criminal State Attorney's Office in Zagreb, and he is suspected of committing two criminal offenses: causing a false alarm and unauthorized possession, production, and procurement of weapons and explosives.
Following this case, the police once again warned citizens not to bring weapons, ammunition, and mine-explosive devices to police stations themselves. "But, do not bring weapons and explosive devices to police stations yourself to avoid their activation and unwanted injuries; instead, notify 192 or the nearest police station of your intention to surrender them," the police conclude.
Since 2007, the Ministry of the Interior has been conducting the campaign "Less Weapons, Less Tragedies" to encourage citizens to voluntarily surrender illegal weapons without sanctions. "We remind citizens that the campaign 'Less Weapons - Less Tragedies' is still ongoing, and according to the Law on the Acquisition and Possession of Weapons by Citizens, weapons can be surrendered at any time, and a person who voluntarily surrenders them will not face criminal or misdemeanor proceedings, provided they report the weapon to the competent authority for surrender before the application of all legal police powers," the statement reads.
To surrender weapons, citizens can call 192 or go in person to the nearest police station. Educated police officers will come to a predetermined location to safely take possession of the items, thereby reducing the possibility of accidental detonation of explosives, injuries, or threats to the environment.
