Austrian woman offers live tank shell on swap site

[October 25, 2013]  VIENNA (AP) -- It's not often that a swap site transaction results in the evacuation of an apartment house. But then again, how often is one of the objects being traded a live tank shell?

Austrian state broadcaster ORF says the shell was on offer as a dummy. It says police had to clear a Vienna apartment house of its residents and put up road blocks after establishing that it was in fact a fully functioning explosive.

Thursday's report said police were called to examine the shell by its new owner shortly after she had exchanged two bottles of wine and a picture frame for it on an online swap site.

ORF said the shell's previous owner had used it as a door stopper.

The report says both women face unspecified criminal charges.

[Associated Press]

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