US sailor accused of stealing grenades from Navy ship

A sailor is accused of possessing 20 concussion hand grenades reported missing from the USS Pinckney guided missile destroyer.|

SAN DIEGO - A U.S. sailor has been arrested on allegations of stealing grenades from a San Diego-based Navy ship.

Federal prosecutors say Gunner's Mate Second Class Aaron Booker was detained Tuesday in Great Lakes, Illinois.

He is accused of possessing 20 concussion hand grenades reported missing from the USS Pinckney guided missile destroyer.

Booker could not be reached for comment. It was not clear if he had a lawyer.

Court documents say the grenades were discovered missing Feb. 8, 2017.

Booker was tasked with checking the temperature of the ship's locker where the grenades were kept.

He was later sent for duties in Illinois.

In April, an off-duty law enforcement officer in Arizona found a military-issued backpack on the side of a highway with "GM2 BOOKER" written on it containing 18 grenades.

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