BERLIN (AP) — A worried resident in Germany alerted police to what he thought was a World War II bomb in his garden. Officers rushed over — and found a particularly large zucchini.

Police were summoned to the scene in Bretten, near the southwestern city of Karlsruhe, on Thursday morning by an 81-year-old man.

They said in a statement Friday that officers determined “the object, which really did look very like a bomb” was actually a 40-centimeter (nearly 16-inch) zucchini.

The offending vegetable, which was very dark in color, weighed about five kilograms (11 pounds). Police believe someone threw it over a hedge into the garden.

Un-exploded wartime bombs are unearthed frequently during construction work in Germany, often forcing authorities to evacuate tens of thousands of residents while they are defused.

In this handout photo released by the police of Karlsruhe, a Zucchini is pictured in a garden in Bretten, Germany, Friday, Nov. 3, 2017. A worried resident alerted to police to what he thought was a World War II bomb in his garden. Officers found a particularly large zucchini. (Karlsruhe Police Photo via AP)

http://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2017/11/web1_119117701-4fdbb4f2e4e542d0aa3cb25be7f1ce33.jpgIn this handout photo released by the police of Karlsruhe, a Zucchini is pictured in a garden in Bretten, Germany, Friday, Nov. 3, 2017. A worried resident alerted to police to what he thought was a World War II bomb in his garden. Officers found a particularly large zucchini. (Karlsruhe Police Photo via AP)