Fisherman Catches WWII Bomb For Second Time In 2 Weeks, Closing NJ Bridge: Police

KEARNY, NJ — Police had to close the De Jessa Memorial Bridge — which connects Bergen and Essex counties over the Passaic River — for a little under an hour Saturday night after a fisherman found a WWII-era bomb, officials said.

A man had dropped a line with a magnet from the bridge and found the artillery shell, believed to be from WWII-era, around 7 p.m., said Captain Vincent Auteri.

The Bergen County Bomb Squad responded and found that the shell no longer had a fuse, Auteri said.

The bridge was shut for approximately 40 minutes, he said.

"The same magnet fisherman reeled in an artillery shell back on June 26 from the same location," he said. That time, the bridge was shut down for 30 minutes and the outcome was the same, he said.

The bridge, which links Lyndhurst in Bergen County with Nutley in Essex County, is near the former site of Camp Nutley, an Army installation that's now a town recreation site, noted NJ.com.

Magnet Fishing

Magnet fishing is an increasingly popular hobby in which participants drop a strong magnet into the water to look for treasures.

Magnet fishermen have found evidence of criminal activity as well, such as weapons, stolen jewelry, and more, according to websites dedicated to the hobby.