CAPE ELIZABETH (AP) – Police say a local resident made a surprising discovery in the waters off Casino Beach: a pipe bomb.

The 38-year-old was wading in a foot of water with his 4-year-old daughter when he saw the silver object on Sunday, police said.

The 8-inch pipe filled with gunpowder was safely detonated but not before the man put it in a sand pail and drove it to his home, said Sgt. Mike Edes of the Maine State Police bomb squad. It was not until then that he alerted authorities.

Police Chief Neil Williams said the area was searched twice and no other suspicious devices were found around the beach.

Police distributed leaflets in the neighborhood with a picture and description of the device, warning neighbors to be careful.

Edes said it’s important for people to alert authorities immediately upon discovery of something suspicious, in this case, a pipe with end caps and a fuse. “This easily could have killed him, his daughter, both of them,” he said.

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