An arsenal of unexploded World War II bombs has been recovered from the waters just a few yards away from Hollywood star George Clooney’s lakeside villa in Italy.

Italian navy divers brought the explosives to the surface early Wednesday right in front of Villa Oleandra, Clooney’s lavish mansion on the western shore of Lake Como in northern Italy.

Clooney was not believed to be in the area, said Roberto Pozzi, the mayor of Laglio, a hamlet of fewer than 1,000 residents surrounding the villa. Laglio is known for its string of lakeside villas, which have often served as secluded refuges for many celebrities.

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Old explosives were pulled from the water in front of George Clooney’s Lake Como home, the Villa Oleandra.
“We received an alert by a local diver that there were some explosives right in front of Clooney’s villa,” Pozzi said. “I sent a warning to the villa personnel that they should leave.” Pozzi said about six people work regularly in Villa Oleandra, including a caretaker and his family.

The area around the villa was also sealed off to allow bomb disposal squads to recover the arsenal, which included a mortar and some mines, Pozzi said.

The bombs, found at a depth of 26 feet, were brought to a safe area where they were detonated. They are believed to have been dropped by a World War II bomber.

Clooney bought the two-story Villa Oleandra in 2001, putting Laglio on the map for photographers and paparazzi hoping to get a glimpse of the actor. From members of the Versace family to Sylvester Stallone and Russian billionaires, many celebrities regularly visit or have homes on the exclusive shores of Lake Como.

Earlier this month, police found a woman’s body in the water near Clooney’s villa. She was later identified as a 36-year-old resident of Ticino, the part of Switzerland nearest to the lake. Her husband has been arrested on suspicion of murder.