Photo: Getty Images
A Florida man wanted to try magnet fishing with his 11-year-old grandson, but their weekend catch took them by surprise, Miami Herald reports.
On Sunday (January 30), Duane Smith, 61, and his grandson, Allen Cadwalader, attached a five-pound magnet to a fishing line and dropped it into the C-102 canal in Princeton. Hoping to catch something valuable, the duo ended up reeling in two .50-caliber Barrett sniper rifles.
"We ended up with two pounds of scrap metal and 40 pounds of gun," the grandfather told reporters. "I figured, since it was our first time, this was beginner’s luck."
They reportedly found one firearm within five minutes of the activity. Soon after, they reeled in an identical sniper rifle. Both of them were wrapped in plastic and weren't loaded. The pair didn't find any ammo, either, according to Miami Herald.
Smith, who's also a former Army infantry officer, noted that they only found the receivers of the weapons, expressing concern that the serial numbers were filed off. He called the Miami-Dade County Police Department, who sent two officers to pick up the guns.
Police Detective Christopher Thomas told reporters he reviewed the photo Smith took of Allen with the guns, adding that it will take them a while to determine if the weapons were used in a crime.
"Judging by the photo, those have been there for a while," Thomas explained. "That said, it will take some time for the weapons to end up at our forensics lab. Once there, they will be processed."